A team with a $371 million payroll and a 9-19 record in the division doesn’t go hand-in-hand. And the Red Sox’s firing of Alex Cora just made things more challenging, bringing the discussion around New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza at the forefront. President David Stearns, historically rallied behind Mendoza until recently. But legendary Mets radio voice Howie Rose wonders what’s cooking behind the scenes.
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“You just have to wonder if some kind of move is coming, because there’s just nothing happening here right now for the New York Mets… Swept by the Rockies today & in the series, & drop to 10 games under the .500 mark,” Rose said.
The dejected look of the Mets’ dugout after getting swept by the Twins over the weekend was surely not a positive vibe. Mendoza didn’t wait for the team to get off the field and faded out in the tunnel. Bo Bichette, sitting alone in the dugout, giving a blank stare, is just a reflection of the entire Mets community.
There could be arguments about the limitations of a manager when an uber-expensive and star-studded lineup couldn’t perform on the field. But when it comes to the stalled offense, the Mets manager surely got no answer. Against the Twins, the Mets could only manage 4 runs in the series. The third game saw a lineup comprised of Juan Soto, Bichette, Brett Baty, and Marcus Semien, to name a few. Yet, they couldn’t manage a single run.
"You just have to wonder if some kind of move is coming, because there's just nothing happening here right now for the New York Mets... swept by the Rockies today & in the series, & drop to 10 games under the .500 mark..." - Mets radio voice Howie Rose
"I know that managing is a much more delicate operation than it used to be, but at some point, you gotta call people out." Gary Cohen on Carlos Mendoza and the Mets, in what would become a Rockies 3-0 win and three-game (and doubleheader) sweep. #MLB pic.x.com/IreYpUqzDc
So, Rose wonders if the Mets front office would let the team continue such a struggle and not make a move. If history suggests anything in MLB, any rectifying move always starts with the manager. Yes, after the 2025 debacle, Mendoza was spared while his coaching staff was dismissed, which further sets the spotlight solely on him this time.
It only suggests that a major upheaval is coming out of the Mets. And chances are high that it would go against the manager.
The Mets started 2026 with a 9-19 record that’s unheard of since 1983. Moreover, their .625 OPS is last across the entire league. Still, when the fans are looking up to the manager for an answer, Mendoza stayed clueless. “It’s hard to explain when you have that many guys that are going through it at the same time,” Mendoza said.
“As I said, it’s hard to explain because usually you get 3-4 guys that go through it. But you get 4-5 guys that can carry you. But right now it’s hard to describe.”
Hence, even if the manager shouldn’t be blamed for how the players are performing, Mendoza’s cluelessness about the whole scene is what makes him prone to face the music.
Clubhouse’s support may not be enough anymore for the Mets manager
The only thing that goes for Carlos Mendoza is the clubhouse’s support for him. “This is not Mendy’s fault or David’s fault. They put a great team together. We have to be the ones who will go out there and perform. This is not [Carlos Mendoza’s] fault at all,” Soto said. But let’s be very honest here, Alex Cora also had the clubhouse on his side.
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Carlos Mendoza (Credits: MLB.com)
However, the bigger question now is that with Mendoza’s seat getting shakier by the day, what could be brewing behind the scenes?
Cora’s availability in the open market could be what makes the Mets front office act quickly. It’s rare in MLB that a World Series-winning manager is suddenly available in the middle of a season. However, the Red Sox were in the same struggling scene for which Cora got fired, we are skeptical if the Mets would land him.
So, what’s best option left for the Mets?
According to American sports commentator, Gary Cohen, the best would be if Mendoza could let his voice dominate in the clubhouse. “I know that managing is a much more delicate operation than it used to be, but at some point, you gotta call people out,” Cohen said.
Mendoza defending his players after every loss is nothing new for the Mets fans, but that’s absolutely not working anymore. It’s time to call out the slumping clubhouse and demand accountability. But even that is too time-consuming to offer any desired result. And we wonder if the Mets’ 9-19 record would actually offer that much time to Mendoza.
