NEW YORK — The New York Mets have fired two high-ranking employees and will overhaul their legal and human resources departments on the recommendation of independent investigators hired to review the organization following allegations of sexual misconduct against former manager Mickey Callaway.

Callaway, fired in October of 2019 for on-field performance, was banned by Major League Baseball through at least 2022 in May following allegations of inappropriate behavior toward several women who work in sports media, including from his time with the Mets.

First-year New York owner Steve Cohen hired law firm WilmerHale in March to review the organization and detailed changes he’ll make in an email to employees Monday, saying he wanted “to ensure that our community and culture will always be safe, respectful, and inclusive.” The email was obtained by The Associated Press.

Executive vice president and chief legal officer David Cohen – no relation to the owner – and senior vice president for human resources and diversity Holly Lindvall will both be let go as Steve Cohen rebuilds the legal and HR departments. David Cohen has been with the Mets since 1995 and Lindvall since 2010. Both will remain with the team during “a transition period,” Cohen wrote.

The team is updating its legal and human resources protocols to prioritize responding to complaints in a timely manner and expanding the scope of anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies. The club will also host regular town halls and Q&A sessions with employees to “increase communication and transparency.”

RAYS: Tampa Bay decided the future is now and are calling up top prospect Wander Franco for Tuesday’s game against the Red Sox.

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Franco, 20, has been playing for Triple-A Durham, where he is hitting .315 with seven homers, 35 RBI and a .954 OPS in 39 games. He was told the news as the Bulls were busing from Norfolk, Va., to Jacksonville for their next series.

Franco, the multi-talented switch-hitting infielder, will instead be heading to Tropicana Field for the opener of a three-game series against the Red Sox on Tuesday night.

Moves to add Franco to the 40-man roster and the 25-man active roster still have to be finalized.

Franco is a natural shortstop, but given how well rookie Taylor Walls has played since his May 22 callup, Franco is likely to spend time at shortstop and third base initially.

BASEBALL HALL CEREMONY: The Baseball Hall of Fame’s induction ceremony is returning to its standard seating format, opening the door for another big crowd. Officials said Monday that tickets will not be required for the event’s free lawn seating area. The ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 8, on the grounds of Clark Sports Center and will honor class of 2020 members Derek Jeter, Marvin Miller, Ted Simmons and Larry Walker. No one was selected this year.

Inductions have been held outside the center since 1992 and the largest crowd was estimated at 82,000 for Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn in 2007. The second-largest crowd on record – an estimated 55,000 people – attended the last induction ceremony, in July 2019. Crowds have surpassed 50,000 at five of the past six ceremonies, from 2014-2019. Last year’s was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Hall of Fame’s annual awards presentation will remain an indoor, television-only event, on July 24. Al Michaels (2021) and Ken Harrelson (2020) will receive the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence, Dick Kaegel (2021) and Nick Cafardo (2020) will receive the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Career Excellence Award, and David Montgomery will receive the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award from last year.

MONDAY’S GAMES

METS SWEEP BRAVES: Jacob deGrom put Mets fans at ease with a bevy of triple-digit heaters. Hopefully clear of the arm woes that interrupted his past two starts, the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner is back to dominating hitters – and the record books.

DeGrom shouldered the load for New York in his return from another injury scare, pitching one-hit ball over five scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Monday to open a doubleheader. Braves closer Will Smith loaded the bases in the nightcap’s seventh inning but escaped for his 14th save in a 1-0 win. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his 20th homer, and Ian Anderson became the first native New Yorker to beat the Mets and Yankees in New York in the same season.

DeGrom didn’t allow a hit in the seven-inning opener until Mets outfielders misplayed a fly ball with two outs in the fifth, letting it fall for a ground-rule double. DeGrom threw 70 pitches, 15 of them over 100 mph, with two walks and six strikeouts.

“Felt good,” deGrom said. “I think that’s why we decided at that 70-pitch mark to say that was enough, didn’t want to overdo it.”

RANGERS 8, ATHLETICS 3: Andy Ibañez and Jose Trevino hit three-run homers, Kyle Gibson pitched into the sixth inning for another solid start and the Rangers ended a six-game losing streak with a win over the Oakland Athletics in Arlington, Texas.


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