The New York Mets just hit a new low with a 5-game slide this Thursday. The team shows no signs of getting out of the bottom of the NL East any time soon. And expectedly, manager Carlos Mendoza faces mounting questions. But amid growing calls for changes in the dugout, one analyst noted that the Mets manager might not be the biggest problem. 

“It’s a malaise that goes back years and years,” Ken Rosenthal stated in a recent Foul Territory interview. “And I’m not saying he’s blameless, don’t get me wrong, but you show me who’s going to be better with this particular group of team.”

The Mets’ last World Series appearance ended with a defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Royals in 2015. Since then, they have reached the postseason 3 times but never made it past the NLCS. Last year, after a strong first half (55-42), they suffered a disappointing late season. That disappointment persists as the Mets are (34-46) the second-worst team in MLB in 2026.

However, Rosenthal mentioned how the franchise has an overworked rotation. And he praised Mendoza for using the fewest relievers on consecutive days. And the way he has managed the rotation through difficult circumstances (6 pitchers on IL), the analyst thinks replacing the manager won’t solve the problem. 

“This particular group of players is a team of misfit toys, and not in the way that the Oakland A’s back when they had all these pieces coming together,” Rosenthal reflected. “These are misfit toys because they don’t fit together as a team, and that is the biggest problem.”

During the Athletics’ Moneyball era under Billy Beane, the franchise created a low-budget team by deliberately targeting players with flaws. The gamble paid off as the A’s recorded 103 wins in 2002 and 96 in 2003. They managed to reach the postseason 5 times between 2000 and 2006. 

But that is not the case for Carlos Mendoza’s boys. As of June 25, they are 6.5 games behind the 4th team in their division. And the recent defense antics paint a worse picture. They had six errors in the 3rd game against the Chicago Cubs. Every infielder, including Francisco Lindor, who recently returned from his injury, committed at least one mistake in the game. 

While the Cubs won 10-5, only 5 of their runs were earned runs. And New York allowed 39 runs in their last 5 games. And their latest collapse, despite Rosenthal’s support, only intensified the scrutiny around Mendoza. 

Mendoza’s seat has been heating up

The Mets Nation has been upset with the manager and the front office for quite some time. New York missed their playoff chances last year by a hair. And while the fans thought there would be some improvements this year, the Mets went through a 12-game losing streak in early April. 

While the recent results have been comparatively less drastic, it couldn’t change their position. And Mendoza himself admitted how painful the situation was. 

“I understand the situation; I know where I’m at,” Mendoza noted. “I spend all my energy day in and day out to be the best version of myself… things that are in my control… whatever happens, that’s out of my hands.”

The fans had much bigger expectations from the roster. The president of baseball ops, David Stearns, reshaped the roster entering 2026 and built one of baseball’s highest-payroll teams.

Despite his efforts, the Mets have turned out to be in worse shape than last year. 

While Rosenthal termed the team “misfit toys,” many fans immediately pointed toward Stearns as the maker. The analyst criticized the players, and admittedly, they aren’t offering elite performances. And Ken Rosenthal doesn’t think a managerial change can change that. 

Now, with the trade deadline approaching, the focus may shift from Carlos Mendoza and the players to the front office.