NEW YORK -- Luis Rojas was two weeks away from his managerial debut with the Mets when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Major League Baseball to cancel all remaining Spring Training games on March 12 and postpone the start of the 2020 regular season. At this time, it is unclear when Rojas will fill out his first big league lineup card.

The unprecedented delay is just the latest twist Rojas’ career has taken in the last two-plus months.

Rojas, who served as New York’s quality control coach in 2019 after 13 years in the organization as a Minor League manager and coach, found himself a Major League skipper in late January when Carlos Beltrán, the team’s initial choice to replace Mickey Callaway, stepped down after being implicated in the Astros' sign-stealing scheme. The timing left Rojas with roughly three weeks to prepare for the start of Spring Training.

The “mentality of the game of baseball,” says Rojas, calls for making adjustments and keeping emotions in check. He believes that mindset has served him and his players well as they've navigated what he describes as “abrupt turns.”

“Obviously, with what’s going on with the virus, it’s something we’ve never seen before, so we’re swimming in unfamiliar waters as far as being able to anticipate what’s going to happen in the future,” Rojas said in Spanish by phone from Port St. Lucie, Fla. “But as far as adjusting and adapting, like we’re all doing in our lives, I think [the baseball mentality] has helped us as a team.

"Everyone went where they needed to go depending on their respective responsibilities to their families. They’re staying as active as possible to stay in the best possible shape depending on what they have available to them in terms of facilities. Yes, things have happened suddenly, but the game itself prepares you for changes.”

As they comply with social distancing measures meant to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Mets’ coaching staff and front office, like many organizations, are relying on various technologies to stay connected with each other and with players, including the video conferencing platform Zoom and an application called Teamworks. In Rojas’ favor are his relationships with the young players on the Mets' roster, many of whom had him as a coach or manager at some point in their Minor League careers.

“The communication goes both ways,” says Rojas. “The guys call me and text me. I text them, too. I try not to do it every day. The other coaches reach out, too. The communication has been really good.”

Rojas added that “the messages are brief because we’ve known each other for a long time and that makes things easier.”

The Dominican-born Rojas has been joined in Florida by his wife, Laura, and the couple’s 7-year-old son, Luis Felipe. Luis Felipe’s school in the Dominican Republic, like many others around the world, has transitioned to virtual instruction during the pandemic. Rojas’ day involves helping his son with his lessons and lending a hand in the kitchen.

Rojas’ Spring Training routine included an early-morning workout at the Mets’ complex. He’s still making time to exercise at home, he says, though he’s not rising quite as early. Rojas' father and mentor, former Major League outfielder and manager Felipe Alou, is also home in Florida and lives about an hour away, though in accordance with social distancing guidelines, Rojas has limited his visits.

Once play resumes, the learning curve Rojas faces as a rookie manager could be compounded by an unconventional schedule and other factors. But though he's long aspired to manage in the Majors, Rojas insists that he’s not frustrated by the circumstances, which he calls “bigger than the game.”

“I haven't paid much attention to what might be lost on a personal level,” said Rojas. “I know at some point we’re going to play baseball. At some point, I’ll have my first game as manager. But this is not the time to let emotions get in the way. It’s something we can’t control.”