The New York Mets are in a free fall, and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez has seen enough. Amid a historic 12-game losing streak, Martinez had a clear yet harsh message for the franchise. Even after spending $765 million to bring Juan Soto in, the Mets are struggling to stay afloat. Now, manager Carlos Mendoza is caught in the crossfire as fans, analysts, and baseball legends demand answers.
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Without Soto, the offense shut down, and the defense fell apart. Mendoza tried to stay positive, but it didn’t stop people from calling for his job.
“[Carlos] Mendoza will be gone by the end of the month. You can book it,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said via First Take.
This is not the first time that Mendoza’s future has been rumored. Last year, the scene was the same when the team failed to get into the postseason. However, this year, the season just started, and a 12-game losing streak is something very unexpected. It’s their worst slide since they lost 11 in a row back in 2004.
"[Carlos] Mendoza will be gone by the end of the month. You can book it." @stephenasmith, @MadDogUnleashed and @RealMikeWilbon talk through the Mets' 12-straight defeats ⬇️
So, the calls against Mendoza are higher than ever this time.
However, the question is whether Carlos Mendoza should be entirely blamed for the Mets’ debacle, or if it is the clubhouse that should take the blame. For reference, Mets are last (30th) in OBP (.285), slugging (.332), and OPS (.617). Mendoza is not the one who has contributed to these numbers. Apart from Juan Soto, Jared Young, and MJ Melendez, no one is hitting .300+.
Expectations were high for the 2026 addition, Bo Bichette, after his .311 last year. This time, he is batting .219. Francisco Lindor, the Mets’ veteran, managed just .209. On Tuesday, when the Twins tied the score 3-3 by the seventh, neither Lindor, Bichette, nor Mark Vientos could manage a run. The Mets bullpen fared no better. Mendoza was visibly upset in the dugout when Devin Williams allowed 2 ERs without a strikeout.
So, it’s very clear that Mendoza could neither hit for his subdued offense nor could he take the mound. But it is the lack of an authoritative voice that the insiders are missing.
“Whatever kind of pulse this team has had, he clearly cannot find it… You clearly need a new voice, because that voice ain’t working,” Smith added.
Since last year, Mendoza has reflected only on the positives after every loss. He hasn’t been heard getting tough with the clubhouse. Last week, he said, “There’s a lot of good hitters here. It’s just a bad stretch.”
So, Smith is asking for a dominant voice in the clubhouse, which Mendoza is clearly not. And he got very little time to become one. This comes on the back of the comments of one of their former players. Pedro Martinez recently put the Mets on notice. He did not hold back while addressing their losing streak and had a clear ultimatum for them.
“The Mets as an organization right now need to make a statement,” Pedro Martinez said. “I’m not asking for anybody’s head, but something needs to change right now. It’s either you dump, or you load yourself again, or something needs to be done.”
“The coaching staff needs to change the strategy that they are using. Maybe go to small ball….Play small ball, take the humble approach. The Mets must get together right now before it’s too late. And have a drastic change in everything they’re doing.”
A 7-16 record by April is not a good sign, and a few more slip-ups would take Mendoza from New York. However, replacing a manager in the middle of a downward spiral is always easier said than done.
Replacing Mendoza would be an uphill task for the Mets
Despite the team’s poor showing since last year, Mendoza is still standing with a 179–168 record (.516 winning percentage). And the clubhouse is still on his side.
“He’s done a fantastic job. This is not on him,” Lindor said. “We have the information. It comes down to us. Mendy’s our guy. He’s our leader, he’s in control, and he’s done a tremendous job. The people paddling – we’ve got to paddle and execute.”
Apart from the clubhouse, Mendoza has the Mets’ front office support. “I think Mendy’s doing a very good job,” Mets president David Stearns said. “I think Mendy is putting players in positions to succeed. And we need to go out and play better.”
So, despite all the noise around Carlos Mendoza, things haven’t blown up yet within the franchise. Mendoza is in the final guaranteed year of his three-year contract. While the Mets hold a club option for 2027, they haven’t extended him yet. If the team doesn’t start improving, his hot seat is definitely getting hotter.
It was the Mets that fired manager Willie Randolph in the middle of their 2008 season. The Mets still couldn’t deliver and missed the playoffs. So, Mendoza might complete the season despite all the chaos, and we are uncertain if he will be there next year.
