Maybe the second time will be the charm.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports, Carlos Beltran is the favorite to take over as the New York Mets' manager next season.
Beltran currently works in the Mets' front office as a special assistant to president of baseball operations David Stearns.
Beltran, who starred as a center fielder for the Mets from 2005-2011, was hired as the team's manager in the 2019-2020 offseason. However, Beltran was fired before ever managing a game with the Mets due to his role in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal.
It's unknown whether Beltran still wants the job. But if he does, the Hall of Famer will certainly be a top candidate for the position.
As Nightengale also noted, the Mets would love to hire World Series-winning manager Alex Cora. That being said, Cora is expected to be hired as the manager of the NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies. Cora and Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski won a World Series together in Boston in 2018.
The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza on June 26 as a result of a horrific start to the season. Mendoza, who led the Mets to the NLCS in 2024, lasted just 2.5 seasons as the skipper in Queens. In addition to a poor season in 2026, Mendoza oversaw an epic collapse last season, where the Mets missed the postseason by one game.
New York replaced Mendoza with vice president of player development Andy Green as interim manager. But Green will go back to his role in the Mets' front office following the conclusion of the season, as Stearns revealed.
Beltran and Cora appear to be the Mets' top two options to fill their managerial vacancy in 2027. In addition to this pair, former Phillies manager Rob Thomson would also be a solid candidate.
