Carlos Beltran is out as New York Mets manager as the MLB cheating fallout continues

• The New York Mets announced the exit of manager Carlos Beltrán Thursday after he was named in the MLB investigation of the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
• Beltrán is the third manager to be removed following the MLB report.
• Beltrán was the only player mentioned in the MLB commissioner's report.

Carlos Beltran talks after being introduced as manager of the New York Mets during a press conference at Citi Field on November 4, 2019 in New York City.

Rich Schultz | Getty Images

The New York Mets announced Thursday that manager Carlos Beltran will leave the team after he was named in the MLB report on the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.

"We met with Carlos last night and again this morning and agreed to mutually part ways," Mets COO Jeff Wilpon and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. "This was not an easy decision. Considering the circumstances, it became clear to all parties that it was not in anyone's best interest for Carlos to move forward as Manager of the New York Mets."

Mets tweet.

"At a meeting this morning with Jeff and Brodie we mutually agreed to part ways," Beltran said in a statement. "I'm grateful to them for giving me the opportunity, but we agreed this decision is in the best interest of the team. I couldn't let myself be a distraction for the team."

Beltran statement to ESPN

Beltran, who played for the Houston Astros in the 2017 season, joined the Mets as manager in November. He is the third manager to be removed after MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred's investigation.

The Astros fired team manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow on Monday, hours after the report was published and the MLB brought one-year suspensions on both men. On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox fired then-manager Alex Cora, who was the Astros' bench coach in 2017.

In the commissioner's report on the scandal, Beltran is the only player identified as being involved in the Astros' scheme to steal pitch signs in the 2017 season, after which Beltran retired. The Astros won the World Series in 2017. The team continued stealing signs in the 2018 season.

"Approximately two months into the 2017 season, a group of players, including Carlos Beltrán, discussed that the team could improve on decoding opposing teams' signs and communicating the signs to the batter," the report says. "Cora arranged for a video room technician to install a monitor displaying the center field camera feed immediately outside of the Astros' dugout."

The league has yet to release the results of an investigation into allegations that the Cora-led Red Sox used technology to steal signs in the 2018 season. The Red Sox won the World Series in 2018.