Mets Manager Fired
Mets Fire Manager Carlos Mendoza Mid-Season; Owner Steve Cohen Demands Improvement
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The New York Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza on June 26, 2026, after the team sank to last place in the NL East with a 34-47 record. Owner Steve Cohen did not mince words: "There is no sugar-coating it: This season has been a disappointment and our fans deserve better than what we've delivered," The Washington Post reported.
Former San Diego Padres manager Andy Green, who also serves as the Mets' farm director, was named interim manager. The firing ends a stunning fall for Mendoza, who was a Manager of the Year finalist just two years ago after leading the Mets to the 2024 National League Championship Series, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
A $358 Million Payroll Stuck in Last Place
The Mets entered 2026 with the highest payroll in Major League Baseball — $358 million — and World Series expectations, The Washington Post reported. Instead, the team sits 15 games behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves and 9.5 games out of the final NL wild-card spot. They rank 24th in runs scored despite carrying three contracts worth $300 million or more, according to StatMuse.
The Mets are also projected to pay $124 million in luxury tax penalties on top of that payroll, pushing total spending toward nearly $500 million for a last-place club, the Associated Press reported. The team has not won a World Series since 1986.
Injuries Piled Up, Then the Season Collapsed
The 2026 collapse began in May when Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor landed on the injured list. The two stars are the cornerstones of a roster built around Cohen's aggressive offseason spending, which included a record 15-year, $765 million deal for Soto, according to The Guardian. Their absences triggered a 10-20 stretch that the team never recovered from.
Soto, Clay Holmes, Francisco Alvarez, Luis Robert Jr., and Jorge Polanco all missed significant time, according to lancasteronline.com. The final blow came June 22-25, when the Mets were swept in a four-game home series by the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Front Office Under Fire as Scapegoat Debate Begins
President of Baseball Operations David Stearns said it was "a very difficult day" and took personal responsibility. "Despite all of our efforts, Mendy's included, we haven't been able to get this going this year. I take responsibility for that," he said at a press conference, per the Associated Press. But some analysts argue Mendoza was punished for roster failures built by the front office.
Ryan Finkelstein of Locked On Mets called Mendoza a "scapegoat" for defensive lapses and bullpen instability that were baked into the roster by Stearns' design. The Guardian labeled the Mets "the world's most expensive losers." Stearns himself is now described as being on the hot seat, with analysts giving him one year to prove his model works in New York, per MLB Trade Rumors.
Trade Deadline Sell-Off Looks Likely This Summer
The firing is widely seen as the first step in a broader teardown. One day before Mendoza was let go, the Mets traded veteran pitcher David Peterson to the Cubs, Associated Press reported. Veterans like Jorge Polanco and Clay Holmes are now considered likely trade candidates before the deadline.
The moves signal a possible end to Cohen's "spend anything" approach. With nearly $500 million out the door for a last-place team, The Washington Post reported the owner may shift his philosophy going forward. For now, Green takes over a clubhouse that analysts at Locked On Mets describe as "unraveling."
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