Mets Part Ways with Manager Carlos Mendoza
Carlos Mendoza stepped in to pinch hit for the Mets amid a tough season.
On Friday, the Mets made the decision to fire their manager. Following a six-game losing streak on Thursday, the team now finds itself 13 games below .500, and it appears they’ll miss the playoffs for a second year in a row.
Andy Green will take over as interim manager.
There’s a lot of blame to go around for the Mets’ struggles. Sure, President of Baseball Operations David Stearns should be held accountable, but it’s the manager who has taken the first fall. With a roster costing over $320 million, it’s hard to overlook their current position at the bottom of the National League East, boasting a record of just 34 wins against 47 losses.
Mendoza’s promising start was overshadowed by last year’s second-half collapse, which tarnished the goodwill he had developed since his 2024 debut. To make matters worse, a dismal 10-21 start—along with a grim stretch of 12 consecutive losses—had Mendoza squarely in the crosshairs.
There were whispers about his future, despite Stearns backing him on May 1. He said, “We know our record is not where we want it to be, and we know we can do more. We don’t see this as a manager issue and we have no intention of changing it.”
Interestingly, the Mets turned things around, winning 11 of their next 16 games, capping May with a record of 26-33.
However, between June 18 and June 24, the team allowed 50 runs and lost five straight, ultimately dropping below .500 for a season-worst 12 games. This led to the exit of pitcher David Peterson and soon afterward, Mendoza was let go.
The Mets are now hoping their new manager will bring a spark, similar to what Don Mattingly has done for Philadelphia, as the team looks to make changes and replace Rob Thomson.
Mendoza’s departure marks the end of a tumultuous two-and-a-half years at the helm. Initially, it seemed like he could lead the team for the next decade, but recent failures caught up with him.
His rookie season in 2024 was a standout, taking the team to the NLCS and upsetting the Phillies—one of the franchise’s best moments since the 2015 World Series.
However, the 2025 season started well, boasting a record of 45-24 by June 12 but ended up folding, failing to rank in the top six of the National League standings.
They went from 38-55 to a closing record of 83-79, dropping two out of three against the struggling Marlins, which allowed the Reds to snatch the last wild card spot.
Mendoza had hoped for a stronger performance this offseason, especially following the removals of Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, and the introduction of players like Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Freddy Peralta.
However, challenges persisted: Bichette underperformed, Peralta didn’t pitch like the ace they needed, and Francisco Lindor spent a significant amount of time on the injured reserve list.
The Mets are now preparing to become sellers this summer.
With Green stepping in, he’s the fourth manager under owner Steve Cohen, following Luis Rojas, Buck Showalter, and Mendoza, though none have yet managed to last three full seasons with this big-spending owner.
