Mets interview Carlos Beltran despite their past issues

Carlos Beltran on name alone is the biggest star in the Mets managerial sweepstakes, but is he there for show or a legitimate contender for the job?

The former outfielder convened with Mets officials this week to interview for the job, according to an industry source, as the team is among the eight in MLB conducting a managerial search.

Beltran spent 7 ½ seasons playing for the Mets and produced All-Star numbers for the team before his trade to the Giants in 2011 (a deal that netted Zack Wheeler), but his tenure in Flushing included battles with team owner Fred Wilpon and COO Jeff Wilpon, mostly over his extended absences from the field for health reasons. That tension has left many in the industry to question whether Beltran is under serious consideration to replace Mickey Callaway.

The most pronounced battle occurred before the 2010 season, when Beltran underwent arthroscopic knee surgery that placed him on the injured list for three months. At the time, the Mets contended that Beltran underwent the surgery without their approval — a charge that was denied by the player and his agent, Scott Boras. The Mets informed Boras they could void the remainder of Beltran’s contract if the knee didn’t properly recover.

A year later, Fred Wilpon was quoted in an extensive New Yorker piece as saying Beltran was “65 to 70 percent” of the player he once was. Wilpon later apologized to Beltran, David Wright and Jose Reyes, all of whom were tweaked by the owner in the story.

Beltran won a World Series title with the Astros in 2017, his last year as a player, and has spent the past two seasons as a Yankees special assistant after interviewing for the managing position that went to Aaron Boone.

Mets officials, led by general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, in recent days were planning to interview Beltran, Joe Girardi, Derek Shelton and Mike Bell face to face. In addition, The Post confirmed Friday that Mets quality control coach Luis Rojas was on the list to receive a sit-down interview. It was unclear if there were candidates other than those five scheduled for such interviews. Shelton is the Twins bench coach and Bell the Diamondbacks vice president of player development. Girardi, the former Yankees manager, interviewed for the Cubs’ managerial opening on Wednesday and could also be a target for the Phillies.

A person who previously worked with Beltran described him as a strong presence who would unify the clubhouse. But the same person questioned whether Beltran, who “is not a data guy,” would be comfortable with the amount of analytical information he would receive on a daily basis. Beltran, as manager, would also face a different level of media scrutiny than he did as a player.

But Beltran also has strong backers in the organization in special assistant Omar Minaya, who as Mets general manager signed him to a seven-year contract worth $119 million. And assistant GM Allard Baird led the Royals front office during Beltran’s tenure with the club.

“Carlos is one of the best baseball minds I’ve been around,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Friday in Houston, where his team prepared for Game 1 of the ALCS. “I had him as a player, so knowing his feel for the game, his feel for people, the mentorship that he provides, he’s got all the ingredients to be really good. I’m happy he wants to be considered for a job like that because we need more guys like Carlos to be in the game in that capacity.”

If Van Wagenen is seeking to make a splash with a hiring, Beltran’s name is certainly capable of creating such buzz. But from an experience and tactical standpoint, there would be questions if Beltran is ready for such an immense challenge of managing a team built to compete in the present.

Hinch said it’s not a surprise Beltran wants to be considered.

“No, because he loves baseball, loves players and the process of trying to win,” Hinch said. “He’s given so much back to the game and been all-in on baseball since I’ve met him. Not surprising he would want to continue in something like this.”

— additional reporting by Dan Martin

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