Rojas out as Mets manager after two losing seasons
NEW YORK — For a while this summer, Luis Rojas was a potential Manager of the Year contender.
Just a few months later, he’s out of a job.
Rojas was let go as New York Mets manager on Monday after two losing seasons. The team declined its option on his contract for 2022, making the announcement a day after finishing third in the NL East at 77-85 in Steve Cohen’s first year of ownership.
The move was no surprise, the first of several significant changes coming again this offseason for a club in constant turmoil.
“I want to share such heartfelt gratitude to so many in the Mets organization for not only the last two seasons as manager, but for the last 16 years in a variety of roles,” Rojas said in a statement released by the team.
“We live in a resultsoriented business, and am deeply disappointed for our staff and fans that we didn’t reach our goals this season,“he said.
The Mets said Rojas has been offered the opportunity to remain in the organization in a role still to be determined. The club said decisions about the coaching staff will be made in the coming days.
Expected to challenge for the playoffs or even a pennant with $341 million newcomer Francisco Lindor at shortstop, New York led its division for 90 straight days despite a wave of injuries — and Rojas drew praise for his steady hand and communication skills.
But then everything fell apart over the final two months of the season.
With ace pitcher Jacob deGrom sidelined since the All-Star break by a sprained elbow, New York went into a nosedive once August arrived. The lineup languished even when healthy, and an overtaxed pitching staff started to crack.
An untimely 2-11 stretch against the Dodgers and Giants, baseball’s top two teams, dropped the Mets from five games over .500 and tied for first place to 62-66 and 6½ games out on Aug. 26. In a middling division, they lost the lead for good on Aug. 14 and never really recovered.
New York went 26-34 during Rojas’ first year at the helm, finishing tied for last place in the pandemic shortened 2020 campaign.
Attendance down from pre-COVID
MLB drew 45.3 million fans this year as fans gradually were allowed to return, down from 68.5 million over 2019 in the last season before the coronavirus pandemic.
The Los Angeles Dodgers led the major leagues in home attendance at 2.8 million. They did not start selling full capacity until games in mid-June.
This year’s MLB season averaged 18,901 for 2,397 dates, the commissioner’s office said Monday.
Atlanta was second at 2.3 million, followed by San Diego at 2.2 million, Texas and St. Louis at 2.1 million and Houston at 2.07 million. The Yankees drew 1.96 million, Boston 1.7 million and the Mets 1.5 million in Steven Cohen’s first season as owner.
Only Texas began the 2021 season at 100 percent capacity, with other U.S, teams reaching full capacity availability ranging from Atlanta on May 7 to Seattle on July 2.
MLB played a shortened 2020 schedule due to the pandemic, a regular season played entirely without fans.