Carlos Beltran's time as manager of the New York Mets was over before it even began. As the only player mentioned in MLB's investigation into the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal, the team decided to mutually part ways with Beltran in January 2020, just two months after taking the job.
Since then, former Astros manager AJ Hinch and bench coach Alex Cora have served one-year suspensions for involvement in the scandal and accepted managerial roles with different teams. And former Mets skipper Terry Collins believes that it's now time for Beltran to get a second chance in the majors.
"He deserves his opportunity. A.J. Hinch is back, Alex Cora is back. So, why can't Carlos Beltran come back?" Collins told The Zach Gelb Show on Friday. "He's the perfect guy to step in for the Mets. His presence in the clubhouse is needed. His leadership in that clubhouse is needed. We just saw what happened at the end of the year with some of the statements from some of the players. That would never happen if Beltran was manager of the Mets... He paid his price. It's time to get Beltran back in the game."
Beltran, a nine-time All-Star across 20 seasons, retired in 2017 after winning a title with the Astros. In January 2020, the franchise was disciplined by MLB after its investigation found that they used electronics to steal signs during their championship run and trip through the ALDS in 2018. The Astros used a center-field video feed to decode the opposing catchers' signs during home games, and then players banged on a trash can to let batters know what kind of pitch was coming.
The Mets, now owned by billionaire Steve Cohen, underachieved this season. They finished 77-85 -- third place in the NL East standings -- and as a result of missing the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year, the Mets declined their 2022 contract option on manager Luis Rojas. New York named Rojas its skipper in the wake of Beltran's departure.
If offered the job once again, the pressure of New York wouldn't faze Beltran. In seven seasons as a Mets outfielder, he slashed .280/.369/.500 with 149 home runs, 208 doubles, and 559 RBI. Beltran was also a five-time All-Star with New York, and a three-time Gold Glove winner.
The entire MLB conversation between Collins and Gelb can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The Zach Gelb Show on Twitter @ZachGelb and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.