Mets fire Callaway after 2 seasons
The New York Mets fired manager Mickey Callaway, the club announced Thursday.
New York went 163-161 with Callaway as the club's skipper for two seasons and he still had one year left on his contract. The team brought Callaway on to be the franchise's 21st manager in 2017.
The Mets are also cutting ties with bench coach Jim Riggleman, MLB Network's Jon Heyman reports.
"We want to thank Mickey for his consistent work ethic and dedication over the last two seasons, and I'm certain these characteristics will serve him well in his next opportunity," Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said in a statement. "A decision like this is never easy; however, we believe it is in the best interest of the franchise at this time."
The firing ends a tumultuous run for Callaway in Queens. The Mets entered 2019 with high expectations after revamping their roster in the offseason - later adding more pieces at the trade deadline - but they failed to make the playoffs. In the end, the additions of stars Edwin Diaz, Robinson Cano, and Marcus Stroman didn't translate to on-field success.
Clubhouse issues also created headlines. At one point, a reporter was threatened by a member of the team. Later in the year, right-hander Noah Syndergaard publicly voiced his displeasure with the club after his batterymate concerns leaked to the media.
One name to watch as a possible candidate for the vacant Mets manager job is Carlos Beltran, according to Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network.
Beltran played for the Mets for more than six years and interviewed for the manager role with the New York Yankees, who ended up hiring Aaron Boone.