Mickey Callaway wasn’t hired by Brodie Van Wagenen. And now he’s out as Mets manager.

The Mets have fired Callaway after two seasons, and with a year remaining on his contract, the team announced Thursday. Callaway finishes his Mets tenure with a 163-161 mark after guiding them to back-to-back third-place finishes.

Bench coach Jim Riggleman also will not be returning. according to sources, although his contract is up.

Van Wagenen and COO Jeff Wilpon met with Callaway in Florida to inform him of their decision. The team already has an “expansive list” of replacements, per the general manager.

“We did feel like this move will give us an opportunity to continue our progression,” Van Wagenen said on a conference call. “And ultimately where we want to go as a team and a franchise.”

Callaway did little to distinguish himself in his two seasons as the Mets’ manager, which are remembered more for embarrassing moments than on the field success. Callaway — who was hired by previous general manager Sandy Alderson — was brought back for the 2019 season after Van Wagenen joined the club last offseason. While the 44-year-old Callaway was retained, it always seemed a matter of time until Van Wagenen would hire his own manager.

“Bringing on a new (general manager), we knew we wanted to give him a chance to prove himself to Brodie,” Wilpon said. “I think having one year left on his contract was a little (problematic) because he was either going to be extended or otherwise he was going to be a lame duck which would have put us into a tough bind with everything.”

Callaway deserves credit for guiding the Mets to an 86-76 record in 2019, yet the general sentiment is the Mets manager cost his team a few wins this season. That loomed large when the Mets missed the playoffs by three games.

Aug 2, 2019; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway (36) looks on from the dugout against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports More

A former American League pitching coach, Callaway struggled with late-game bullpen management, making questionable decisions — particularly when it came to utilizing the double switch.

In one memorable game this year, Callaway panicked after his team grabbed a lead in the seventh inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves, throwing top reliever Seth Lugo into the game with little warning. The Mets ultimately lost the game.

Callaway’s biggest blunder came last year against the Cincinnati Reds when his team batted out of order, an egregious mistake that can’t happen at this level. While Callaway has been a good sport about that moment, even joking about it during the New York Baseball Writers Association of America dinner, it was difficult to move past.

“Today’s move is something we feel will continue to give us positive gains at the major league level,” Van Wagenen said, “as we try to improve in the other areas we’ve already invested in.”

Callaway also put himself in the headlines this year for berating a reporter after a tough loss in Chicago that featured questionable managerial tactics. Callaway reacted to an innocent remark by dressing the reporter down in front of his players. Callaway then continued to berate the reporter while asking a media relations official to remove the reporter from the clubhouse.

He did not brush off criticism all that well, which can be problematic in New York.

“From ownership perspective, those things always play in,” Wilpon said. “But that was dealt with earlier in the year and didn’t play into my overall decision or part of this decision for me.”

Within the clubhouse, there was not great affection for Callaway either positively or negatively.

Some liked him more than the previous manager, Terry Collins. Others had issues with how he used his bullpen, particularly the fact that roles weren’t always defined. Callaway’s communication skills were also criticized.