Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza Faces Job Uncertainty Amid Historic Slump

The Mets opened 2026 with a 9-19 record, the league’s worst. In 17 games they lost 15, including a three-game sweep by the Colorado Rockies that left them with one run in 18 innings. The slump follows the dismissals of Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Phillies manager Rob Thomson after similar early-season failures, increasing pressure on manager Carlos Mendoza. Mendoza, 46, was hired in the 2023 offseason by president of baseball operations David Stearns on a three-year deal with an unexercised 2027 club option, leaving him a “lame-duck” for the season. After guiding the Mets to the 2024 NLCS, the team missed the postseason in 2025, prompting Stearns to revamp staff and roster.

The Record (New Jersey)

Manager Carlos Mendoza; owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns, who hired him; and injured players Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Kodai Senga, Luis Robert Jr.

The Record (New Jersey)

The Mets rank last in runs, OPS and wRC+, have scored two runs or fewer in 11 of the last 17 games, and Juan Soto, MJ Melendez and Lindor post .260 averages; injuries to Lindor, Polanco, Senga and Robert Jr. limit the lineup.

The Record (New Jersey)

Mendoza said Cora and Thomson firings show that “when you don’t see the results, it happens.” He called his relationship with Stearns and Cohen “business as usual,” noting no job discussion. He stressed belief in his players, the need to “go back to hitting fastballs,” and his pledge to “continue to show up.”

ESPN

Media and fans point to the Mets’ run production woes and injury list, citing the Cora and Thomson dismissals as warnings that heighten pressure on Mendoza.

The Record (New Jersey)

• “It sucks, what happened to those two guys, guys that I consider [two] of the best of what they're doing, especially Thomson, one of my mentors,” — Carlos Mendoza, Mets manager

ESPN

• “But the one thing I can do is just continue to show up here and get the best out of my players.” — Carlos Mendoza

ESPN

• “Just got to keep it simple. I think just going back to hitting fastballs,” — Carlos Mendoza

The Record (New Jersey)

• “With David, it’s business as usual. With Steve, same,” — Carlos Mendoza

The Record (New Jersey)

• “Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. We’ve got to keep going,” — Carlos Mendoza

The Record (New Jersey)

The Mets open a three-game series against Washington on Tuesday, hoping to stop the skid. Run production will be crucial for Mendoza’s job security, and the club will review the roster after the series.

The Record (New Jersey)