FLUSHING, NY — The morning after the Cubs’ four-game series sweep and the Mets’ sixth consecutive loss, Carlos Mendoza took the blame. President of Baseball Operations David Stearns pulled the plug on his hand picked manager as the Mets have hit rock bottom.
Andy Green will assume the managerial role, while the Mets, standing at 34-47, begin the official second half of the season Friday evening by hosting the Phillies in a three-game weekend series.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to Carlos Mendoza for his leadership and unwavering commitment. He represented this organization with integrity and dedication throughout, and I wish him and his family all the best,” said Mets Owner, Chairman and CEO Steve Cohen. “Our commitment to bringing our fans a championship-caliber team has not changed. There is no sugar coating it: this season has been a disappointment and our fans deserve better than what we’ve delivered.”
The Mets announced the departure of Carlos Mendoza Thursday morning with Andy Green, the vice president of player development, being named the interim manager – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
More to come later today with Stearns meeting the media at Citi Field as Mendoza moves on from the mess. A mess of a roster Stearns built that never lived up to expectations and continued with another loss Thursday night without pitcher David Peterson.
Stearns perhaps began the purge after the Mets dropped a day-night doubleheader Wednesday with Peterson, their longest tenured player and former top prospect, getting dealt to the Cubs. No word from the left-hander who boarded a team bus and plane to Milwaukee with Chicago following the series finale 4-3 win in 10 innings.
Another ugly Mets loss as they go further into the abyss. Selling ahead of MLB’s August 3rd trade deadline seems more than likely now with Peterson the first to go from a Mets team that is liable to lose over 95 ballgames.
David Peterson was dealt to the Cubs Wednesday night following Chicago’s day-night doubleheader sweep vs. the Mets in Queens – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
This wasn’t in the plan. Stearns, the architect, ridding the manager he picked, constructed a roster, and team payroll that sits second highest in MLB. The Mets were projected to win 95 games, a favorite to be NL East division leaders or one of three NL wild card entrants to play October baseball at the minimum.
None of that is coming to fruition. We had that sense in April with a team not at expectations due to minimal consistency all around the offense. Also, there is the constant issue with a starting rotation that was considered at one time the best in baseball. The Mets’ inconsistent trend continued Thursday by leaving 14 on base, resulting in a sweep at the hands of another team.
Of course none of that has worked to plan, instead the Mets are 13 games under .500 (34-47)—out of the division and wild card chase. Further into the abyss and one of three teams in the NL with the worst record in baseball.
The Mets’ plan for 2026 has all gone wrong in the first half of the season with the team standing at 34-47 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Difficult to comprehend with a talented roster of All-Stars such as Juan Soto, the superstar and Mendoza, who took the fall. He said Wednesday doubleheader loss was embarrassing, with the nightcap including six errors from the infield. Two more occurred in Thursday’s series finale and one that led to a run.
Mendoza was out of answers. Postgame clubhouse scrums with the media are always brief and it was obvious, Mets players who spoke were out of answers, shaking their heads. Getting this right is difficult to answer.
In the meantime, on the field were the Cubs, a team that will continue to contend in the NL Central and also in that hunt for a Wild Card spot. And with Peterson, Chicago has three former first round Mets draft picks. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Conforto are the other two.
When asked about Peterson, Mendoza did not offer much except to say: “It’s a tough one because obviously you understand this is a business, but, especially from my end, I had a really good relationship with Petey. This is a guy that will come in the office and have coffee and just talk about life. We’ve been together since I took the job [in 2024] and we’ve been through the ups and downs.”
His dismissal is also tough to comprehend, then again the manager is as good as the players he pencils in the lineup.
Across his Mets’ managerial tenure (2024-2026), Carlos Mendoza stood 206-199, helping lead the organization to the NLCS in his first year at the helm in 2024 – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
Peterson, named an NL All-Star last year for the first time in his career, joins Conforto who has bopped around with numerous teams in a DH and outfield role—now coming off Chicago’s bench. Armstrong went 2-for-4 Thursday while extending his hitting streak to 14 games and had the go-ahead RBI double in the 10th inning.
He’s in the running for his first NL MVP with numbers that dictate his significance to Chicago’s roster.
Once a Mets prospect, Pete Crow-Armstrong is now shining in Chicago for the Cubs and has become one of the top outfielders in the game – Image Credit: Emma Sharon/Latino Sports
And from a point of view about trading prospects, in all fairness to Stearns, Armstrong for the borrowed and controversial Javier Báez was prior to his tenure. Others like Conforto had a salary structure that let him walk away again prior to Stearns.
Peterson, though, was traded for minor league first baseman/DH Cole Mathis, the Cubs’ 13th ranked prospect. Perhaps with Mark Vientos and his inconsistency at first base—don’t be surprised the Mets have their newest prospect in a starting role soon.
No answer to that for now.
Mark Vientos, one of many Mets with defensive mishaps this season, has been the Mets’ primary first baseman in 2026 after the organization saw Pete Alonso walk this past offseason in free agency – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
As for Armstrong, he continues to be a spark for the Cubs in center field, batting first in the lineup. The Mets certainly would have loved to run it back. Fans are viewing it as another disaster.
Regardless, someone has to be accountable for the Mets’ demise. Armstrong was asked about his tenure with the Mets that hardly got a taste of coffee at Citi Field and some he grew up with in the farm system.
“I’m past the point of remembering,” he said regarding his brief tenure with the Mets. “I never really received a taste of Citi Field or anything like that. I just like really coming back, seeing Vientos, seeing (Brett) Baty and talking a little crap with Álvy (Francisco Álvarez). Just coming back and seeing my guys is always fun, Four wins is four wins, no matter who it comes against. I’m just really happy about that.”
Happy to be a Cub is Armstrong, then again are these current Mets content with their seating as the season reached the official midpoint? Perhaps that play on the field is providing an answer as the Mets are not doing anything right and it’s time to start from scratch.
At 34-47 and 81 more games to go on the 2026 regular season, the Mets have a long summer ahead of them in Queens – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Peterson is the latest first round pick to go and many believe he will rebound with the Cubs, a strong defensive team in all positions.
The Mets are at this point of having no other alternative, Peterson and Mendoza were just the beginning. When a season is lost, there are no other options.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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