Likely future Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran announced his retirement earlier this month after winning his first World Series title. He added he would one day like to manage, and it turns out Beltran might get that chance sooner than he expected.
Multiple reports Tuesday morning indicated that Beltran will interview for the still-vacant Yankees' managerial opening. It will be his first coaching or managerial interview of any kind.
Carlos Beltran will interview for #Yankees’ managerial position, as first reported by @StevePhillipsGM.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 28, 2017
Carlos Beltran’s interview with #Yankees will be tomorrow morning, a source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 28, 2017
Beltran will be the sixth person to interview for the Yankees' managerial opening, joining Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson, former Indians and Mariners manager Eric Wedge, Giants bench coach Hensley Meulens, Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward and ESPN analyst Aaron Boone.
A few weeks ago Beltran told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand he wants to stay in baseball and manage, and would love the opportunity to manage the Yankees. Here's what he told Feinsand:
"At some point in my career, I would love to have the opportunity to manage," Beltran told MLB.com in his first interview since announcing his retirement. "With the experience that I have in the game of baseball, the times I've played, different teams that I've played for, I've gotten to see different ways to do things in the clubhouse and for the players. How to motivate them, how to impact them in a way where they continue to improve. I would love that opportunity, for sure."
...
"I had the opportunity to play with the Yankees for three years and I enjoyed myself, big-time," Beltran said. "I appreciated the way I was treated; my family, the relationship with [Yankees GM] Brian [Cashman]. I don't know what they're looking for. Experience as a manager, I don't have that. But I have the passion for the game, I have the knowledge of being able to play the game for a long time. I get along well with the players, with my teammates; I've always taken that to heart, trying to impact my teammates in a positive way.
"I would not discount anything; you're talking about the New York Yankees. You're not just talking about any team in baseball. Not taking anything away from any other organization, but the Yankees are a team that anyone would love to put on that uniform and manage that ballclub."
Beltran played for the Yankees from 2014-16, though he waited a long time to wear pinstripes. He rather famously offered to sign with the Yankees for less money during the 2004-05 offseason, but the team opted to pursue Randy Johnson instead, so Beltran signed with the Mets.
Thanks to his leadership skills and all-around baseball knowledge, Beltran has long been considered a likely future manager. He already knows many Yankees players from his time with the team, including unanimous AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP runner-up Aaron Judge.
Before spring training in 2016 Carlos Beltran asked for one of the young players to be moved into his corner of the clubhouse so that he could help mentor him, talk to him during all the downtime about anything that came up. The player was Aaron Judge.
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) November 13, 2017
The fact he is already familiar with New York and many Yankees players -- not to mention bilingual, which is a big plus for any managerial candidate -- would seem to suggest Beltran is a very strong candidate for the job. Then again, he doesn't even have any coaching experience and the Yankees might not want to go with a rookie skipper. At the very least, they're apparently willing to give him an interview.
