The Mets have officially hired Luis Rojas as the team’s 23rd manager. This was the second time this offseason the Mets hired a manager.
Former All-Star Outfielder and Met, Carlos Beltrán was hired in November of 2019 to be the team’s 22nd manager. But, after his involvement in the Astros sign-stealing scandal became public he resigned.
Rojas’ name was quickly revealed as one of the Mets internal replacement options for Beltrán. Rojas wasn’t the only name considered from the Mets’ front office. Dusty Baker was reportedly considered by the Mets, but the team never reached out.
Rojas comes from a baseball family. His father is Felipe Alou who played 17 years in the MLB and managed the Montreal Expos from 1992-2001, and the San Francisco Giants from 2003-2006. His brother is Moises Alou who was a six-time All-Star outfielder and a former Mets player.
The reaction of Mets players and former players who played for Rojas in the minors loved the hiring. The reactions by current Mets players Pete Alonso, Marcus Stroman, and Jeff McNeil, and Dominic Smith spoke volumes about Rojas. Many of the homegrown Mets players played for Rojas in the minor leagues.
Rojas has a long history with the Met spending 12 years with the organization. He managed at various levels of their minor league system. The rest of the Mets coaching staff will remain the same. That includes a new bench coach, Hensley Meulens.
Rojas said, “This is a dream come true,” during his introductory press conference.
One word that Rojas emphasized during his press conference was preparation. He has been preparing to become the Mets manager for a long time, and now he will get his opportunity.
He mentioned that he spent a lot of time with the players as the Mets Quality Control Coach last year. During his opening remarks, Rojas seemed uncomfortable with the media, but as the Q&A section began he seemed to get more comfortable. Today was a good next step for the Mets. After the hiring and firing of Beltrán, this move made sense. Rojas knows the organization, and that seems to be what put him over the top when Van Wagenen compared him to other internal candidates.
We will never know how well Beltrán would have done, but Rojas always seemed like the right fit.
With his vast managerial experience in the minors and his knowledge of the Mets organization, this might be a blessing in disguise. But, only time will tell. With the 2020 season not far off Mets fans won’t have to wait long to see how Rojas handles being the team’s manager.
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