Mets to decide on Rojas before hiring president of operations?

Luis Rojas' Mets bottomed out after the All-Star break. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Mets to decide on Luis Rojas before hiring new president of baseball operations?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 9/29/21

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen reportedly decided in early August he wouldn't part ways with manager Luis Rojas despite the club's struggles coming off the All-Star break, and Rojas was ultimately given through this Sunday's regular-season finale even though the Mets' hopes of making the playoffs realistically disappeared weeks ago.

According to Anthony DiComo of the MLB website, Mets team president Sandy Alderson told reporters Wednesday a final call on Rojas' future will be made before the franchise hires a new president of baseball operations:

Sandy Alderson says Luis Rojas' future as Mets manager will likely be decided before the team hires a new president of baseball operations. (That means Alderson will probably be making the decision.)
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 29, 2021

As DiComo added, this suggests Alderson and maybe also Cohen will decide if Rojas should get another go at it. Rojas' contract has an option for 2022, and acting general manager Zack Scott was placed on leave earlier this month after he was arrested on a driving while intoxicated charge.

While the Mets began Wednesday at 75-82 and are one of the true MLB disappointments of the year, Rojas and company have also dealt with a crippling number of injuries since the spring. Most notably, ace Jacob deGrom missed the entire second half of the season with elbow issues and, later, a sprained ulnar collateral ligament.

It's worth noting, though, that deGrom can opt out of his deal after the 2022 season and reportedly is "as disillusioned with the new regime as he had become with the previous one." The Mets replacing Rojas with a top-tier candidate could potentially satisfy the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner ahead of what is essentially a contract year.

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