Beltran turned down job offer from Yankees ... at least for now

NEW YORK – Carlos Beltran said he was “tempted’’ to accept a Yankees front office position, but ultimately decided that he needs a year’s separation from baseball.

“Let me step back, let me think about what I want to do next,’’ said Beltran, whose 19-year playing career concluded with the 2017 world champion Astros. “Next year, maybe I might be back in the game.’’

Clearly, things would’ve been different had Beltran been offered the Yankees managing job, following an impressive interview.

Aaron Boone got the job, but Beltran said that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman offered him something of an advisory/special assistant position that would include an on-field instructor’s role in spring training.

“Especially when they offer you a job to be a part of a team that has so much talent…I did feel tempted,’’ said Beltran, a Yankees outfielder/DH from 2014-2016. “I do appreciate the consideration and how flexible they were willing to work with me.’’

However, “being a coach or a guy who works in the front office, that’s a lot of time, a lot of hours you have to spend in the ballpark,’’ said Beltran, who first wants to spend more time with his young family.

“We want to travel,’’ Beltran said. “I don’t know what a summer feels without baseball.’’

Speaking Tuesday evening, Beltran was on hand to accept the Legend Award at the 38th annual Thurman Munson Dinner, recognizing his charitable contributions – including his foundation’s hurricane relief aid in his native Puerto Rico.

As an Astro, Beltran experienced Hurricane Harvey’s destructive path through Houston and was impressed by “how fast the city was able to get back on their feet, and their spirit. And as an Astro, we were able to bring a lot of joy to those fans, and hope.’’

But in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma’s devastation of Puerto Rico, Beltran is dismayed by the slow federal response.

“There’s no doubt I’m disappointed and I’m not the only one,’’ Beltran said. “Being part of the United States, you expect to at least get the same benefits (when) tragedies like this happen.’’

With “around 40 percent of the island’’ still without power, Beltran said his foundation “is helping and doing the best we can,’’ currently rebuilding 200 homes and expecting to do more.

Beltran won’t go to the White House when the world champion Astros are honored, but he says it’s not a politically motivated decision.

“I’m retired. I don’t feel like I belong to any team,’’ Beltran said. “My family…that’s the team I feel I belong to right now.’’

Still, being a big-league manager remains a goal and Beltran could get the opportunity to interview for other clubs' vacancies this fall.

“I do believe that I have a lot to contribute to a lot of players and that’s why I want to be back in the game,’’ Beltran said.

After leaving his lengthy interview for the Yankees’ managing vacancy in November, “I personally feel that I did a good job,’’ Beltran said, having presented “a lot of great ideas, a lot of great information that you could implement in a ballclub’’ like the Yanks, who lost a seven-game AL Championship Series to Beltran’s Astros.

“This year, the expectations are going to be triple,’’ Beltran said. “Being in the World Series, and hopefully win it.’’

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