MLB Weekly Digest January 20th Edition: Mets Part Ways with Beltran

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The last week in MLB was about another team looking for a new manager due to the sign-stealing scandal, a club in the American League will be interviewing a veteran manager, and a third baseman signs a contract.

New York Mets Part Ways with Manager Carlos Beltran

The New York Mets will be looking for a new manager as Carlos Beltran has decided to step down, per Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports.

Carlos Beltran has told the Mets it is best if he steps down. Looks like the direction this will take.

— Tim Brown (@ByTimBrown) January 16, 2020

The past week Major League Baseball was in the headlines due to a report about the sign-stealing scandal involving the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were both fired after being suspended for one year by MLB.

The Red Sox decided to part ways with manager Alex Cora.

Beltran was the only other individual named in the report who still had a job before stepping down.

The former player stepping down was the right move.

He would have been a distraction for the team with spring training merely a couple of weeks away, and the questions would continue heading into the regular season.

The Mets and Beltran provided a statement about the decision to step down, per Tim Healey of Newsday.

Official: The Mets say they and Carlos Beltran mutually agreed to part ways.

“We agreed this decision is in the best interest of the team,” Beltran said in a statement. “I couldn’t let myself be a distraction for the team. I wish the entire organization success in the future.” pic.twitter.com/QMPArlFXjI

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) January 16, 2020

The Mets will go through the interview process once again to hire another manager.

The top two candidates for the Mets would be Eduardo Perez, and their bench coach Hensley Muelens, per Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY.

Eduardo Perez, the runner-up for the #Mets managerial job, along with Mets bench coach Hensley Muelens, now emerge as two of top candidates

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 16, 2020

Perez was the runner-up for the job before the Mets hired Beltran.

Muelens has experience being a coach and is multi-lingual, per Sam Dykstra of MiLB.

Hensley Meulens:

-Is already the #Mets bench coach, so he's been around this offseason
-Won three World Series as a Giants coach
-Managed the Netherlands in the WBC
-Speaks five languages (English, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese, Papiamento)

Just saying.

— Sam Dykstra (@SamDykstraMiLB) January 16, 2020

The Mets should have a new manager by spring training, and the focus will be on the team.

Houston Astros Will Interview Dusty Baker for Vacant Managerial Position

The Houston Astros will interview Dusty Baker next week, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Source: Dusty Baker to interview for #Astros managerial vacancy next week. Here’s our @MLB.com story, written by @mattkellyMLB: https://t.co/dNBiKVLYSw @MLBNetwork

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 18, 2020

The team is looking for a new manager after the sign-stealing scandal that’s rocked the baseball world.

The team has already interviewed former Baltimore Orioles skipper Buck Showalter and former Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons.

The Astros are signaling they want a veteran manager with stellar leadership skills as they’ve interviewed Showalter and Gibbons and will interview Baker.

The team needs someone with experience to guide the franchise through a turbulent time.

The Astros will be the most-watched team this upcoming season.

Minnesota Twins Sign Third Baseman Josh Donaldson to Four-Year Contract

The Minnesota Twins have signed third baseman Josh Donaldson to a four-year, $92-million contract, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Per source, Donaldson will earn $84 million over the first four years of his deal with the Twins, with a $16 million club option ($8 million buyout). So it’s $92 million guaranteed, but with escalators and the option, the deal could climb to $104 million.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 15, 2020

The deal includes a club option in the fifth year to increase the total value of the contract to $104 million.

Donaldson’s deal is the second-largest for a player at age 33 or older.

The only deal larger was the seven-year, $105-million contract given to Kevin Brown by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Donaldson is 34. His deal with #MNTwins is second-largest for a player 33 or older. Only one larger: Kevin Brown’s 7-year, $105M deal with the #Dodgers from 1998.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 15, 2020

Donaldson had a solid 2019 campaign with the Atlanta Braves as he compiled a .259 batting average and .900 OPS in 155 games with 33 doubles, 96 runs scored, 37 home runs, and 94 RBIs.

The former MVP was hampered by injuries in 2018 but showed he can make an impact when healthy.

The Twins will have a stacked lineup for the 2020 season, and let’s not forget, they set a major-league record with 309 home runs last year.

They attempted to add starting pitchers this offseason but came up short.

So, adding a player like Donaldson to make their lineup stronger was a smart move.

About Post Author

Chris Lacey

Chris is a New Jersey native whose favorite sports team is the Arizona Diamondbacks. He previously attended Western New England College to study Sports Management. Chris has been following the Diamondbacks since he was 12. You can find him on Twitter at @aecanada12.

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