The New York Mets will not fire manager Carlos Mendoza despite a poor start to the season, as confirmed by David Stearns. Mendoza, in the final guaranteed year of his contract, faces pressure to improve the team's performance.
Key points
Mets have a 10-21 record, the worst in MLB.
David Stearns confirmed Mendoza will not be fired.
Mendoza is in the final guaranteed year of his contract.
Team's struggles are attributed to player performance, not just managerial decisions.
Fan sentiment is shifting from anger to potential apathy.
Mentioned in this story
Carlos MendozaDavid Stearns
New York MetsBoston Red SoxPhiladelphia Phillies
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Manager Carlos Mendoza of the New York Mets looks on against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Manager Carlos Mendoza of the New York Mets looks on against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets, after posting a 7-19 record in April and falling to 10-21 on the season, do not plan to fire Carlos Mendoza, David Stearns confirmed on Friday. Elaborating upon those remarks, Stearns told MLB.com, āWe know our record is not what we want, and we know we are capable of more. We donāt view this as a manager problem, and we donāt intend to make a change.ā The news temporarily puts to bed talk of firing their skipper, who is in the final guaranteed year of a three-year deal, which includes a club option for 2027.
It would be inaccurate to say that this comment from Stearns was made in order to get ahead of calls from fans and the media to fire Mendoza, as those discussions have been raging since the teamās 12-game losing streak. If nothing else, a strong, ādefinitiveā statement from leadership was needed to divert attention away from the manager, whose seat had been growing hotter by the day. This announcement puts the onus squarely back on the players, who are now tasked, alongside Mendoza and Stearns, with figuring out a way to save a season that is quickly careening off a cliff at an alarming speed.
Mendoza is hardly entirely to blame for this messāI said as much in my piece about the end is likely near for Mendoza, which is not so much untrue now as it is ādelayed until further noticeāāthough he can also not be entirely absolved of fault. Mendoza has made some genuinely head-scratching movesānot just this year, but during his entire managerial tenureā and his inability to adjust on the fly when needed can often be infuriating. This team also largely seems to give up when trailing in games, as evident by their 0-88 record in their past 88 games when trailing after eight innings. While overseeing two different rosters, this is a damning indictment on the teamās preparation and, as a result, their manager.
However, the teamās biggest issue can most succinctly be described as, āThe players are not getting it doneā. Stearns, who executed an ambitious offseason plan, which included jettisoning several core members of the roster, has not been rewarded for his moves, and most of the players he has brought in have well underperformed expectations. That, coupled with struggles from just about everyone on the roster, from the rotation to the bullpen to the āBaby Metsā, has made this a perfect storm of pain.
The Mets enter play tonight with a 10-21 record, the worst mark in the entire sport, which is a far cry from the postseason (and even World Series) aspirations that the club carried into spring training. The Mets are currently mired in a 3-17 stretch, which includes the aforementioned 12-game losing streak. Only the 1964 and 1981 Mets got off to a worse start to a baseball season. The team has been free-falling towards irrelevancy as the calendar turns to May, and anger from the fanbase could soon give way to apathy, which will hurt their bottom line in the form of ticket salesāthe team has yet to release single game tickets for games beyond June, which could prove to be a gross miscalculation on their part.
Two managers have already been fired in 2026. First, the parted ways with longtime skipper Alex Cora after a suboptimal and sloppy start to their season. Next, the division rival , who endured a 10-game losing streak of their own and are battling the Mets for last place in the division, cut ties with Rob Thomson, who led them to an NL Pennant in 2022 after taking over midseason for Joe Girardi.
Perhaps it will not make Mendoza feel any better to know that Dave Dombrowski gave Thomson a vote of confidence roughly one week before being fired, so Stearnsā words, while accurate in the moment, may change should circumstances call for it. Still, for the time being, Mendoza will be at the helm, and fans will need to turn their attention to other topics surrounding the club.
Q&A
Why is Carlos Mendoza not being fired by the Mets?
David Stearns stated that the team does not view the current record as a manager problem and intends to keep Mendoza in his role.
What is Carlos Mendoza's current contract status with the Mets?
Mendoza is in the final guaranteed year of a three-year deal, which includes a club option for 2027.
How has the Mets' performance affected fan sentiment?
The Mets' poor performance has led to growing anger among fans, which could soon turn to apathy, impacting ticket sales.
What historical context is there for the Mets' current season start?
The Mets' 10-21 record marks one of the worst starts in franchise history, only surpassed by the 1964 and 1981 teams.
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