The New York Mets started the day on Friday by firing manager Carlos Mendoza after a 34-47 start to the season. The Mets are well out of postseason contention and are highly unlikely to make a run that gets them back in the mix.
As of now, Andy Green has been named the interim manager, and perhaps that change could help get the Mets back on track a little bit, but it’s unlikely that this is going to be a long-term deal.
John Harper of SNY reported that St. Louis Cardinals legend and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols had shown interest in the Mets job is Mendoza were to be let go, citing a strong relationship with fellow Dominican Republic native Juan Soto. Jeff Jones of the Belleville News Democrat gave his take on the possibility of Pujols managing the Mets and seemed to be in favor of the idea.
“This feels like it would really only work with an experienced front office leader that has a connection with Albert and a really strong ability to manage up and smooth things over with ownership,” Jones posted on X.
Could Albert Pujols Work as Mets Manager?
Pujols managed the Dominican Republic national team in the World Baseball Classic this past spring, and he led them to the semifinal round before they lost to Team USA.
This is a strong take by Jones, but one thing that fans would have to consider is that Pujols would be stepping into a very difficult environment in New York as a first-time manager. The last time the Mets tried that approach, it didn’t work, as they didn’t have much success under Mickey Callaway.
Pujols would likely be different, as he does at least have some managerial experience under his belt, and he is well established around the game. His relationship with Soto could work in his favor, but managing in the World Baseball Classic and managing in the major leagues are two different things, so there is some reason for skepticism.
Mendoza guided the Mets to the National League Championship Series in 2024, but it has been downhill ever since for New York. The Mets missed the postseason last year and are well on their way to doing it again in 2026.
It will be interesting to see if the Mets decide to make contact with Pujols about the managerial job for 2027 or potentially even some point this year.
Other Options
Pujols is not the only option the Mets can pursue. The Boston Red Sox fired Alex Cora earlier this year, and the Philadelphia Phillies did the same with Rob Thomson. Brandon Hyde was also let go last year by the Baltimore Orioles, so the Mets have a lot of different options at their disposal that could work as their next manager, especially if they want somebody with a little more experience under their belt.
We’ll see what the Mets decide to do. Pujols could make sense given his relationship with Soto, but he is far from their only choice.
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