Minaya works as a senior advisor to general manager Brian Cashman with the Yankees, and the team said Monday it was “devastated” by the news.
“To those closest to her, she was a loving, caring mother and wife and a great support for her family and loved ones,” the Yankees said in a statement. “…We offer our deepest condolences to Omar, his sons Justin and Teddy, and their family and friends during this unthinkable time. His family was an extension of our baseball family and this is a loss that we all feel deeply.”
“Before today’s game, we held a moment of silence to mourn the loss of Rachel Minaya, beloved wife of Yankees Senior Advisor for Baseball Operations Omar Minaya and devoted mother to Teddy and Justin Minaya. Our hearts go out to Rachel’s family and friends. pic.twitter.com/sP1vNPM2Jm
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 22, 2024
The prosecutor’s office said an investigation was ongoing, adding that “the circumstances are not suspicious.” New York Post Police reported Sunday that suicide had been ruled out as a cause of death and that Omar Minaya was not at home when his wife was discovered.
The Yankees hired Omar Minaya (65) in January 2023. Minaya began his career as a scout with the Texas Rangers in the mid-1980s, then rose through the ranks with the New York Mets and became general manager of the Montreal Expos in 2002, becoming MLB’s first Hispanic general manager.
Minaya left the Expos in 2004, just before they moved to Washington and were renamed the Nationals, to return as the Mets’ general manager. He took a job in the San Diego Padres front office in 2011 before returning to the Mets for a third stint from 2017-2022, after which he briefly worked as an amateur scouting consultant for MLB.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Rachel Minaya,” Mets owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “Omar had a tremendous impact on our organization and his wife, Rachel, was always by his side. The Minayas have been great friends of ours for many years, and our heartfelt condolences go out to Omar’s entire family and loved ones.”
According to a 2007 report, Minaya met his future wife, then known as Rachel Albright, at a unisex salon in Manhattan in 1989. profile In an article published in Sports Illustrated, they revealed that their son, Justin, is a professional basketball player who has played for the Portland Trail Blazers for the past two seasons.
The Yankees held a moment of silence for Rachel Minaya before their 9-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. “Our hearts go out to O and his family in this situation,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. Said “I think we’re all heartbroken,” he said after the game.
