The New York Mets have shown the door to manager Carlos Mendoza — and he’s far from the only one who’s been let go this year.
Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil are all gone. Last year’s entire coaching staff was replaced. And more roster moves could be coming before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, with pitchers Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes potentially on the block.
Over the past eight months, president of baseball operations David Stearns has overhauled a franchise that, not long ago, looked like a World Series contender. On June 12, 2025, the Mets had the best record in all of Major League Baseball. Things have gone sideways in a big way since then.
The most recent major shake-up came Friday — exactly the midpoint of the season — when Mendoza was dismissed and replaced by Andy Green, a former San Diego Padres manager who had already been working within the Mets organization. Green was given the interim manager title for the remainder of the season.
“In my estimation, our estimation, change is needed right now,” Stearns told reporters. “Clearly, we’ve fallen short.”
At the halfway mark, the Mets stood at 34-47, sitting 15 games behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves and 9.5 games out of the final wild-card spot. Then they went out Friday night and dropped their seventh game in a row, falling 2-1 to the rival Philadelphia Phillies. During that seven-game skid, New York has been outscored 56-23.
“For whatever reason, we haven’t come together and found, I guess, what our identity is,” said infielder Bo Bichette.
Mets owner Steve Cohen had set high expectations for a club that hasn’t won a World Series since 1986. The team entered this season carrying baseball’s largest payroll at $358 million, with an additional $124 million projected in luxury tax payments.
“There is no sugar-coating it: This season has been a disappointment and our fans deserve better than what we’ve delivered,” Cohen said in a written statement.
With Stearns having cut loose so many players and now a manager, the question looming over the organization is how much longer he has to turn things around before Cohen decides a front-office change is also needed.
Stearns, who grew up a Mets fan in Manhattan, partnered with Mendoza in their first season together to lead the club on a surprising run to the 2024 National League Championship Series. The following offseason, the team signed slugger Juan Soto to a record-breaking $765 million, 15-year deal, and the Mets raced to a 45-24 record through June 12 of that year — the best mark in the majors.
Since that high point, however, the Mets have gone 72-103 and missed the playoffs last season entirely. This year, injuries to Soto, Holmes, Francisco Lindor, and others have hampered the club. Stearns drew the ire of fans by allowing beloved players Alonso and Diaz to leave as free agents last offseason. Nimmo and McNeil were traded away, and the players brought in to replace them — including Bichette, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. — have either spent significant time on the injured list or failed to live up to expectations.
“I understand fans’ skepticism. If I were sitting in the fans’ seat, I would share that,” Stearns said. “This is never on one person. It’s certainly not all on Carlos. As I said, I take responsibility for our record on the field. I take responsibility for the entirety of our baseball operations department.”
When asked directly at a Citi Field press conference whether he had thought about stepping down, Stearns — currently in the third year of a five-year contract — was unequivocal.
“I have not,” he said. “I believe that we are building the foundation of an organization that can deliver what we all want. I don’t believe that our record on the field this year is indicative of some of the advancements that we’ve made as an organization. But clearly, our record is nowhere near good enough.”
Stearns also indicated that ownership remains in his corner, saying that he and Cohen speak regularly and that Cohen has expressed continued support.
Looking ahead, the organization may pivot toward a sell-off approach at the trade deadline. Peralta, a two-time All-Star pitcher acquired from Milwaukee in exchange for two highly regarded prospects, is set to become a free agent after the World Series. Holmes, who could return from a broken leg in August, also has the ability to opt out of his $12 million player option next offseason — a move that appears likely. That reality makes both players potential trade candidates before Aug. 3.
The Mets already moved struggling pitcher David Peterson — the team’s longest-tenured player — to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday in exchange for a minor leaguer. Peterson is also eligible for free agency this fall.
“I understand we have an uphill battle ahead of us this year, but we’re not turning the page,” Stearns said. “I think sometimes a new voice, a new perspective, a new view, helps. And sometimes it’s really difficult to explain why or how. But at this point, it was time to try.”
Green, 48, is a former major league infielder who joined the Mets in 2023 as senior vice president of baseball development and had been overseeing their farm system. After the season ends, Stearns said Green will return to a front-office role, and the team will conduct a full search for a permanent manager. Alex Cora, who was let go by the Boston Red Sox in April, is expected to be a sought-after candidate for multiple teams, including potentially New York.
The Mets are also reportedly considering bringing in an experienced general manager to work alongside Stearns and provide additional front-office support.
“I understand our fans’ frustration and anger. I think I share that. And we will do everything we can to improve,” Stearns said.
