The New York Mets finally pulled the trigger on Friday, firing manager Carlos Mendoza after a disastrous stretch that saw the team drop six straight games and fall to last place in the NL East. The move, first reported by Jon Heyman, ends Mendoza's tenure in Queens after just two-plus seasons.
Former San Diego Padres skipper Andy Green will take over as interim manager for the remainder of the 2026 campaign. The Mets hope a new voice can spark a turnaround, but with a 34-47 record and a 13-game deficit under .500, the season is slipping away fast.
Mendoza's tenure started with promise. He guided the Mets to the NLCS in his first season, then posted an 83-79 record in 2025. But 2026 unraveled quickly. A brutal June included a 15-3 shellacking by the Philadelphia Phillies and a 10-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs, capping a stretch of sloppy defense and lifeless at-bats.
After Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Cubs, a visibly frustrated Mendoza pointed to routine mistakes that kept piling up. “It’s just routine plays that are costing us. At this level, you expect to make plays like that, those are routine plays,” he said. “You understand that they’re not gonna be perfect, but those are as routine as it gets and teams are making us pay for it, especially the past few nights.”
The fan base had been calling for change for weeks. Social media erupted with relief and frustration. “Probably should’ve happened in April, whether it was his fault or not,” one fan wrote. “Carlos Mendoza is a good baseball person, deserved better than the hand he was dealt, but the quality of play and preparedness was just so unacceptable, and that part is on the dugout staff.”
Another fan added, “They finally did it after falling 13 games under .500… Honestly, congrats Mendy. You’re free.” Not everyone was thrilled, but the overwhelming sentiment was that the move was overdue.
Whether Mendoza gets another shot in MLB remains to be seen. For now, the Mets are left to pick up the pieces. The Mendoza name may still be in the headlines, but in Queens, it's time for a new chapter.
The Mets have plenty of issues beyond the manager. Injuries, underperformance, and a shaky bullpen have all contributed. But the organization clearly felt a change was necessary to stop the bleeding. With 81 games left, Green has a chance to audition for the full-time job — or simply steer the ship through a lost season.
As one fan put it, “Way too overdue but FINALLY THANK YOU.” The Mets hope the message is clear: mediocrity won't be tolerated, even if the season is already lost.
