In the cold of winter only 2½ weeks before the start of spring training, the Mets will remain in the comfort of home in hiring a new manager.
Luis Rojas has spent 13 years in the organization in various capacities, but will now have the spotlight on him like never before, as he prepares to assume the reins in the Mets dugout. Rojas, 38, was finalizing a multi-year contract Wednesday, according to general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, to replace Carlos Beltran, who departed as manager last week after he was named in the Astros’ illegal sign-stealing scheme. Rojas will become the second-youngest MLB manager, behind the Twins’ Rocco Baldelli, who is 24 days younger.
The Mets plan to hold a formal press conference in the coming days to officially announce Rojas’ hiring. Rojas, whose father Felipe Alou managed the Expos and Giants, spent last season as the Mets’ quality control coach. Rojas’ brother, Moises Alou, played for the Mets in 2007-08.
“Luis earned this job,” Van Wagenen said at Citi Field, where he and team COO Jeff Wilpon spoke with the beat reporters who cover the Mets. “He has literally trained his whole life to be a manager. … He’s managed eight years in the minor leagues, he’s managed in winter ball and he’s considered one of the better in-game decision makers that we have in the organization and has great respect, not only in the states here, but also in the Caribbean.”
Rojas received multiple interviews for the position following Mickey Callaway’s firing in October, but Van Wagenen ultimately chose Beltran for the job. Last week, the Mets and Beltran came to what the club described as a mutual parting, after the former All-Star player was named in MLB’s report detailing the Astros’ use of electronic surveillance to steal signs in 2017. Beltran, who played for that Astros team, joined A.J. Hinch and Alex Cora as managers to lose their jobs because of the cheating.
Brodie Van Wagenen and Luis RojasAP (2)Van Wagenen indicated that serious outside candidates for the job when Beltran was hired, such as Eduardo Perez and Tim Bogar, were not considered this time.
“When it came to this unfortunate circumstance, we didn’t want to change the values that we outlined for ourselves in the initial process,” Van Wagenen said. “We wanted to continue the momentum with the work that has been done in preparation for spring training and we felt that Louie was in position to be a leader of that in our group.”
Rojas’ strong working relationship with the Mets’ players — many of whom played for Rojas in the minor leagues — also played a role in the choice, according to Van Wagenen.
“He has a winning pedigree, leading teams to the playoffs when he was in the minor leagues, leads by example and he’s jacked,” Noah Syndergaard told The Post. “He gets after it in the weight room.”
Van Wagenen said prospective owner Steve Cohen wasn’t consulted in selecting the new manager. The Post reported this week that team executives were concerned their pick would alienate Cohen, a hedge-fund billionaire who has entered negotiations with the Sterling Partners to assume a majority stake in the club. A source indicated Cohen has purposely remained in the background to use this hiring as a barometer to test Van Wagenen and the front office.
Wilpon would only say “no change” when asked about the status of the impending sale to Cohen. At the winter meetings in December, commissioner Rob Manfred said the Mets and Cohen were taking the proper steps in completing the sale.
Van Wagenen indicated it’s unlikely the Mets’ coaching staff would be changed other than to replace Rojas. As quality control coach, Rojas was charged with bringing analytics to the players and coaching staff.
“We feel very good about the coaching staff that we put together,” Van Wagenen said. “I knew Louie feels very good about working with them in a collaborative environment and that is what he’s been doing for the last two months, but I anticipate us going forward in a pretty consistent, cohesive way.”




