FIRING LINE

New Mets manager Carlos Beltran is the latest fallout from the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal

So for the second time since they last threw a pitch, the New York Mets are in the market for a new manager.

Carlos Beltrán's 2 1/2month tenure as Mets manager ended Thursday before he spent a single game on the bench, the latest fallout from the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal that has rocked Major League Baseball.

The Mets announced the decision in a news release, saying Beltrán and the team “agreed to mutually part ways.” The move came two days after Boston cut ties with manager Alex Cora, who was Houston's bench coach in 2017 when Beltrán played for the Astros.

A day before that, manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow were fired by Houston soon after they were suspended for the 2020 season by Commissioner Rob Manfred for their roles in the cheating scheme.

Next to fall was Beltrán, the only Astros player mentioned by name Monday when MLB issued its findings from an investigation into the club's conduct. No players were disciplined, but the nine-page report said Beltrán was among the group involved in the team's illicit use of electronics to pilfer signs during Houston's run to the 2017 World Series championship.

“Over my 20 years in the game, I've always taken pride in being a leader and doing things the right way, and in this situation, I failed,” Beltran said in a statement issued through agent Dan Lozano.