NEW YORK — After a brutal start to a season with postseason expectations, the New York Mets announced Friday that they are firing manager Carlos Mendoza, in a desperate effort to salvage the remaining three months.
The Mets are 34-47. Andy Green will take over as interim manager.
Mendoza was in the last guaranteed year of a deal he signed in late 2023 during David Stearns’ first offseason as the club’s president of baseball operations. Since he was Stearns’ hand-picked guy, Mendoza’s dismissal is an admission of failure.
“Carlos has led the organization with passion and grace and is beloved by everyone who works with him on a daily basis,” Stearns said. “Carlos’ impact on our players, staff and culture over the last three seasons has been transformative. Unfortunately, we know we are falling short, and change is necessary to move forward.”
Later Friday, Mendoza sent a statement to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, thanking Steve and Alex Cohen, David Stearns, the organization and the fans.
“Thank you to everyone throughout the Mets organization, especially our coaches, staff and players. The relationships we built and the memories we created will stay with me forever. I will never forget our special postseason run in 2024 and the resilience, commitment and passion that group showed every day.
“Finally, thank you to the fans. Your energy, loyalty and unwavering support made it an honor to wear the Mets uniform and represent this organization. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring a championship to Queens.
“New York will always hold a special place in my heart. I leave with tremendous gratitude, pride in what we accomplished together, and confidence that the future of this organization is bright. I wish the Mets and their fans nothing but success in the years ahead.”
Statement from Carlos Mendoza: pic.twitter.com/T2tu1IJ8gk
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) June 26, 2026
As bad as things got last year, they worsened in 2026. In April, the Mets lost 12 straight games, matching their worst skid since 2002 and their worst losing streak over the first month of the season since 1962, the club’s first year of existence. When the losing streak began, the team thought things would have to get significantly worse for Mendoza to lose his job.
As their play deteriorated, the Mets finally bottomed out.
Now, the Mets are running out of things to change. They overhauled their roster. They swapped out nearly their entire coaching staff. Now, they’ll have a new manager. Before taking this role, Green was the team’s senior vice president, baseball development. The former MLB infielder had previously managed the San Diego Padres from 2016 to 2019.
The blame for the organization’s expensive problems extends beyond Mendoza. The payroll of $370 million, per FanGraphs, trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers ($397 million), yet the roster isn’t working. Injuries, first to Juan Soto and then to Francisco Lindor, haven’t helped; the star duo has played just a week’s worth of games together.
However, the issues start with the lineup. The Mets rank last or nearly last in almost every category that matters.
Half the lineup is different from last year, and the adjustment for many involved has gone poorly. Stearns moved on from the former core of homegrown players, such as Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, and acquired New York neophytes Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien and others.
The starting rotation is another huge problem. For the second straight season, it evolved into the Mets’ biggest concern. New York’s rotation is thin and rarely provides length. The only addition to the group in the offseason was Freddy Peralta.
In spring training, Mets owner Steve Cohen set the baseline goal for 2026: make the playoffs. The Mets have 81 games to turn things around.
“Our commitment to bringing our fans a championship-caliber team has not changed. There is no sugarcoating it: This season has been a disappointment, and our fans deserve better than what we’ve delivered,” Cohen said.
Over his two-plus seasons, Mendoza was 206-198. Hired to replace Buck Showalter, Mendoza quickly experienced extreme ups and downs.
After a rough first two months in 2024, the Mets put things together and made it all the way to the National League Championship Series. The opposite occurred in 2025, with the Mets racing to a fast start only to slowly collapse. Despite bringing in Soto on the richest contract in the sport’s history, the Mets missed the playoffs on the final day of the season.
