Carlos Alberto Gastelum of the Tigres de Quintana Roo became the seventh manager to be fired in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol in the 2024 season. (Photo by Jam Media/Getty Images)
There might not be a line of work with more turnover than being a manager in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol.
On Sunday, Carlos Gastelum of the Tigres de Quintana Roo became the seventh manager to receive a pink slip this season, joining Luis Matos, who led the Piratas de Campeche to a record of 6-17 before being shown the door, Luis Carlos Rivera of the Toros de Tijuana, who went 18-15 before being kicked to the curb, José Valentín of the Guerreros de Oaxaca, who was 16-18 when management wanted to have a talk, Luis Borges of the Caliente de Durango, who started 14-23 before being told his services were no longer required, Juan José Pacho of El Aguila de Veracruz, whose club sputtered to a 16-21 mark before his wings were clipped, and Alfredo Amézaga of the Saraperos de Saltillo, whose club was 21-21 when he was told to disappear.
The Tigres, at 13-35, are dead last in the Zona Sur and the worst team in the LMB and sit 25.5 games back of the first-place Diablos Rojos del Mexico. Pitching coach Mario Ivan Santana will take over as the interim manager.
The seven managerial changes so far this season means that 35% of the league’s managers have been replaced before the midpoint of the 120-game regular season.
Gastelum has a long history with the Tigres, joining the club as a player in 2002 when the team played in Mexico City, moving with the team to Puebla and then again to Cancun, where the team has played since 2007. He retired as a player following the 2019 season, but made one plate appearance for Quintana Roo this season, drawing a walk.