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Mets hire Luis Rojas as new skipper

Lizzy Barrett / Major League Baseball / Getty

The New York Mets hired their new manager from within to replace Carlos Beltran.

New York named Luis Rojas as the team's skipper, the club announced Thursday.

Beltran, who was hired in November, stepped down earlier in January after an MLB report implicated him in a sign-stealing scheme during his time with the Houston Astros in 2017. He never managed a game for the Mets.

Rojas served as a manager in the Mets' minor-league system before joining former manager Mickey Callaway's staff in Queens as a quality-control coach in 2019. He was also a candidate for the big-league skipper's job this past fall, interviewing for the role before the team ultimately went with Beltran.

"He's very, very well qualified," Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said of Rojas, according to Tim Healey of Newsday. "We anticipate him to be a great addition to our team. We think he has the ability to be consistent, to be calm under pressure, and to understand the opportunity that this team has as we head into the 2020 season."

The 38-year-old has an established relationship with current stars like Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil, as well as others who played under him in the minors. He is the brother of former major-league outfielder Moises Alou and the son of longtime manager Felipe Alou.

The Mets are coming off a disappointing campaign that saw them finish third in the NL East with an 86-76 record. They haven't reached the postseason since 2016.

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