The New York Mets fired Carlos Mendoza this season and will be looking for a new manager in the offseason.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, they already have a preferred candidate in mind. Hall of Famer Carlos Beltrán spent seven seasons with the Mets and was previously hired as the Mets' manager before the 2020 season, but he never managed a game.
"The New York Mets have yet to conduct a managerial search for the 2027 season, but their first choice appears to be Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran," wrote Nightengale on Sunday. "They actually expressed interest having him take over after the firing of Carlos Mendoza. Yet, he passed with his Hall of Fame commitments this summer, and they instead turned to Andy Green."
Beltran's number will be retired by the Mets later this season. He has already achieved plenty as a player, but accepting the manager job in Queens would come with all-new expectations. The team expected big things after a run to the National League Championship Series in 2024. They signed Juan Soto before the 2025 season, but have failed to live up to expectations.
Beltran served as the general manager for Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He currently serves in a special assistant role for the Mets front office, but it seems like only a matter of time before he's back in the dugout.
More MLB: More Bad News for Aaron Judge, Yankees