Is it winning or stability for Steve Cohen right now?
Plus, Andy Green loses his first game in interim charge and David Stearns speaks...
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza following a brutal 34-47 start to the season. Andy Green will take over as interim manager for the rest of the 2026 season (story)
In the first game under Green, the Mets lost 2-1 to the Phillies in the opening game of the series at Citi Field on Friday night (box)
LHP Zach Thornton was impressive in just his second career start, allowing just one earned run over six innings with one walk and seven strikeouts
The bullpen provided mixed results with RHP Huascar Brazobán giving up what proved to be the go-ahead run, while LHP Cionel Pérez provided two scoreless innings of relief
1B Jared Young drove in the Mets’ only run of the game while making a couple of stellar defensive plays in the field. However, the rest of the offense did nothing with LF Juan Soto and SS Francisco Lindor going a combined 1-for-8
The Mets have now lost seven straight and are 16 games back in the NL East, and 10 games back for the final Wild Card in the National League
Albert Pujols has reportedly let friends know that he’d very much want the Mets manager job if and when they moved on from Mendoza (SNY)
Roster Moves 📰
OF Tyrone Taylor returned from rehab assignment and reinstated from the 10-Day Injured List
LHP Zach Thornton recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Daniel Duarte and OF MJ Melendez optioned to Triple-A Syracuse following Thursday night’s game
Interim Manager Andy Green will wear #70
“We failed Mendy. I failed Mendy. I didn’t play to my capability to help him win as many games as we could.”
- Francisco Lindor
“It sucks. It’s tough to see for a guy like that. I was really close with him; I talked to him a lot. Then to see him go, it’s really tough.”
- Juan Soto
Play of the Game 🙃
It didn’t take long for the play to happen that changed the entire complexion of Friday night’s game.
With Zack Wheeler on the mound for the Phillies, the Mets had to take advantage of any opportunities whenever they arose. That looked to be the case as early as the first inning when, with one runner on, Juan Soto launched what looked to be a sure-fire home run.
However, Phillies outfielder Derek Hill had other ideas. Hill executed a perfect, stunning leap at the wall to rob Soto and keep it a one-run game. Ultimately, Hill’s heroics proved the difference in what was a low-scoring game dominated by pitching. Had Soto’s bomb made it over the wall, then it could have been a very different game.
Alas, it just wasn’t meant to be for the Mets. Again.
The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
On the latest midweek edition of the show, Rich reacts to the Mets season officially dying against the Cubs and the David Peterson trade signaling that the team will be sellers.
SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
David Stearns & Andy Green speak 🗣️
Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns met with the media prior to Friday’s game, as did new interim manager Andy Green.
Here are the highlights from the pair’s media availability, starting with Stearns…
Firstly, Stearns made clear that Green will only take charge of the team on an interim basis until the end of the season before returning to the front office. The organization will then conduct a full managerial search in the offseason.
Stearns made it clear that owner Steve Cohen has indicated that Stearns has his support.
Stearns also took responsibility for the way this season has played out so far. He stressed that he had “steadfast” support for Carlos Mendoza, but made the change after things got worse. He also added that Mendoza deserved the love he got from the players, while calling Mendoza the “ultimate professional.”
Stearns talked about some of the advancements the franchise has made off the field, while insisting that he hasn’t considered stepping aside. He did admit that the record is nowhere near good enough, and that he fully understands the fans’ frustration and anger.
Despite the massive hole the Mets find themselves in, Stearns refuses to turn the page on this season, despite recognizing the “uphill battle” the team faces.
Stearns dismissed the notion of there being an accountability problem, instead believing the Mets have an “execution problem.”
Finally, when asked if he would consider hiring a GM during the offseason, Stearns said that the front office is always evaluating how they can get better, and that he won’t close the door on anything.
Green, who managed the Padres for a couple of seasons, admitted that he will no doubt come under scrutiny quickly in his new role, but he believes his experience will allow him to not live in that space in order to not transfer that stress to his players.
Green detailed his leadership experience as being “rooted in authenticity,” and also being adaptable and understanding how hard the game is.
Green wants his players to focus on one game at a time and try to ignore all other distractions in order to be able to play the game more freely.
Finally, Green admitted that it was a tough day after seeing Mendoza lose his job, while making clear that his role for the rest of the season is to try and lessen the burden on the team so they can play to the best of their abilities moving forward. Green says that players play their best when “they play with joy.”
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP Jonah Tong (No. 1 prospect, Triple-A): 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
3B Yonny Hernández (Triple-A): 4-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 2 SB
OF John Bay (High-A): 1-for-3, 1 R, 3 RBIs, 1 HR
C Ronald Hernandez (High-A): 1-for-1, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 2B, 1 SB
SS Elian Peña (No. 6 prospect, Single-A): 2-for-3, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB
BOX SCORES
Single-A SLU | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (34-48) vs. Phillies (46-36)
Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Christian Scott (2-0, 3.10 ERA) vs. RHP Alan Rangel (0-0, 2.25 ERA)
When: 4:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
The short term future for the Mets looks murky - so, what now? ✍️
New manager, same result.
Of course, interim manager Andy Green was hardly going to come in and wave a magic wand in his first game after replacing Carlos Mendoza, who was finally put out of his misery on Friday.
It will take a lot longer than just one game for a new voice to have any real impact, but last night’s game served as a sobering reminder as to why even a change in the dugout won’t be enough to save this team. While Zach Thornton impressed on the mound, the offense did what it has done all season and stunk the building out. Even with Francisco Lindor back in the lineup, the offense just looks lifeless and is no match for good-to-great pitching.
This team is fundamentally flawed and a change in the dugout won’t correct that.
Barring a miracle unlike any we’ve seen before, this season is dead in the water. At 34-48 and 10 games out of a Wild Card spot, the Mets are cooked and we may as well stick a fork in them now.
So, what comes next for this faltering organization?
Well, firstly, it was the right call to fire Mendoza on Friday. While he’s not the biggest culprit behind this embarrassing mess, he did oversee last season’s collapse and has made plenty of his own mistakes this season. Plus, players running through stop signs with no accountability and not being prepared to make even the basic plays on the field ultimately fall on the coaching staff.
While plenty of players came out in support of Mendoza on Friday, it became clear that his voice wasn’t carrying any weight anymore. And, following a humiliating six-game losing streak in which the team committed laughable error after laughable error while not looking remotely competitive, there wasn’t any way in which someone wasn’t going to lose their job.
The Mets needed a fall guy and Mendoza fit the bill.
Where the Mets go next remains to be seen, with a full managerial search set to be conducted after the season. A number of names have already been linked with the job, including the likes of Carlos Beltrán and Albert Pujols. Personally, if the Mets keep the current core in place, I think a more experienced manager with some serious standing in the game would be required. Alex Cora is the obvious name that comes to mind, and he would certainly demand a lot of respect in that clubhouse from the very get-go. He knows how to win, he embraces analytics, and he has a track record of being good with young players.
Seemingly, that would tick all the boxes for the Mets.
Of course, whether Cora would be interested in the Mets job remains to be seen, and it is also unknown if President of Baseball Operations David Stearns would want to hire such an accomplished and experienced manager given that Cora would no doubt want more of a say in certain decisions.
And that brings me to the biggest crossroads facing this team:
The front office.
There is no doubt that Stearns is the biggest culprit for what we’ve witnessed unfold this season. And there should be no doubt that he’s now firmly on the hot seat with owner Steve Cohen now having nowhere else to look for blame.
We’ve already talked ad nauseam about Stearns’ many failings, but some of them deserve to be repeated here. He arguably got lucky with his pitching strategy in 2024, but failed to adapt after it fell off a cliff in 2025. He insisted on sticking on the same path this past offseason despite seeing what happens when your starting pitching stinks. Going out and acquiring just Freddy Peralta wasn’t nearly enough, and the Mets have found themselves in the same boat with their rotation in 2026.
On a mission to improve run prevention, Stearns jettisoned the likes of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, replacing them with Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr.. Polanco and Robert Jr. have played just 38 games between them so far this year. Semien has continued to struggle at the plate, while also showing signs of regression defensively. And, without having a Plan B, Stearns has consistently played Mark Vientos and Brett Baty out of position, which has led to a regression in Baty’s all-round game. Vientos has struggled at first while also being mostly a non-factor offensively.
I don’t want to keep on repeating the same old garbage, but you get the picture. Stearns failed to learn from his mistakes in 2025, which has led to history repeating itself this season.
If you want a real damming indictment of Stearns’ overall track record in Queens, then consider that since June 12, 2025, when the Mets were 45-24, they are 72-102 since that date. That’s the fourth-worst record in the majors over that span.
There should be no getting up from that level of incompetency.
And the jury really is out on whether or not Stearns is good enough to fix the mess he created.
I’m not so sure.
While the roster is seriously flawed and there are some pieces that don’t just fit, there is talent, namely Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and the slew of young studs that are starting to break through.
Maybe the best path forward is to start again and bring in an executive who has experience leading a big market franchise, while also going all out for someone like Cora who boasts a proven track record. Then it will be up to that duo to build around the likes of Soto, Lindor, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, Carson Benge, and A.J. Ewing.
We will see what happens next, but I’m pretty positive that Stearns isn’t the savior Cohen thought he was when he hired him. And I’m not convinced that he should get another kick at the can just because this franchise craves stability. Tripling down on a mistake just because you don’t want to look ruthless or impulsive is not a good business strategy.
All in all, I think the short-term future for this team looks murky. The players now need to step up and prove that they are as good as the back of their baseball cards say they are. They need to fight to restore some pride, and perhaps save their jobs.
But, more importantly, Cohen needs to decide what he cares about the most - winning or stability. Because, if it is indeed the former, then I think Stearns should be the next person to clear out his office.
Around the League 🚩
The Angels fired General Manager Perry Minasian, naming longtime Cardinals executive John Mozeliak as interm GM (MLB.com)
The White Sox exploded offensively in a stunning 22-1 win over the Royals, led by 3B Miguel Vargas’ five RBIs
RHP Jacob Misiorowski reached 105.5 mph on his fastball on the way to tossing six innings of one-run ball as the Brewers beat the Cubs, 6-2
Padres RHP Walker Buehler dominated against his former team, allowing just one run over 5.1 innings while lowering his ERA to 1.71 in June in a 7-1 win over the Dodgers
Pirates SS Konnor Griffin hit a leadoff home run in his first game back from injury, joining Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle in becoming the fifth-youngest player in MLB history to hit a leadoff homer
RHP Max Meyer struckout five over seven scoreless innings in Miami’s 4-0 win over St. Louis, tying a franchise record for the longest consecutive winning streak with nine
Red Sox LHP Payton Tolle tossed seven scoreless innings in a 6-1 win over rivals the Yankees at Fenway Park
Well said, Andrew Steele. Stearns' ego couldn't take Cora. If (when?) Stearns is removed...
Yesterday's game was not quite "same old, same old," though they did lose.
The starter did well. We saw with another promising starter that there will be growing pains. But six innings, one run against the Phillies? Impressive. The shutdown game a starter needed to give.
Wheeler shutting you down is not too embarrassing. They only made one error, which is not why they lost. The bullpen as a whole was good. One run vs. Phillies is fine.
I liked the attempt to steal off Wheeler. Take some chances. Do more on the bases.
There wasn't much else, but an overall clean game is a start. Yes, they needed more offense.
Anyway, I want Stearns gone. Find someone else. You have the money, talent, and prime time location to build a good team. This guy is not doing it.
The team also needs to do the basics better. Whatever the reason, and coaching has some agency, they digressed there. Embarrassing.