T
he biggest story in the MLB on Friday was the New York Mets decision to fire manager Carlos Mendoza after two and a half seasons.
New York was 34-47 under Mendoza this season and ultimately the move seemed pretty much inevitable.
Mets owner Steve Cohen released a statement shortly after the news was made public.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to Carlos Mendoza for his leadership and unwavering commitment. He represented this organization with integrity and dedication throughout, and I wish him and his family all the best,” Cohen said in a statement. “Our commitment to bringing our fans a championship-caliber team has not changed. There is no sugar coating it: this season has been a disappointment and our fans deserve better than what we’ve delivered.”
Yankees’ Aaron Boone Reacts to News
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked about his reaction to the cross-town rival’s decision revealing that he was “surprised, but not surprised.”
“Surprised but not surprised. I talked to [Mendoza]. Obviously it’s a tough situation over there right now with what they’ve been through this year. … Mendy’s in a good place, I think he’s really good at what he does. … My expectation is that he’ll be in line for another job. … He’s earned as strong reputation in the industry and even through all of this I think it solidified that that reputation.
“Can I say I’m really surprised that this happen with what they’ve been through? No. But still when you hear the news it catches you. … I think he’s a really good manager that will get another opportunity.”
“I talked to Mendy. Obviously, it’s a tough situation over there right now with what they’ve been through this year and even going back to last year. Mendy’s in a good place.”
Aaron Boone reacts to the Mets firing Carlos Mendoza: pic.twitter.com/Mu1OiN7LL7
— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) June 26, 2026
Players Break Silence on Move
Several Mets players reacted to the news, including Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette, and Juan Soto.
Lindor placed the blame on the players.
“At the end of the day, this is not on him,” Lindor said. “It’s more on us, the players, that we haven’t played to our capabilities.”
Bichette echoed Lindor’s sentiment.
“Essentially, it’s all of it,” Bichette said. “If we were playing better, he’d still be here. It’s just unfortunate he had to take the fall.”
Soto revealed that he felt blindsided by the decision and said he reached out to Mendoza after the news broke to show his support.
“He was one of the guys who helped me feel comfortable in this clubhouse and welcomed me in the best way,” Soto said. “I was just thanking him for that.”
Potential Replacements
One of the bigger questions now is who the Mets could target to replace Mendoza.
The expectation is that interim manager Andy Green will lead the team for the remainder of the season. After that, however, things remain very much up in the air.
The three names that were almost immediately mentioned on Friday after the firing were Alex Cora, who was fired earlier this season by the Boston Red Sox, former Mets legend Carlos Beltrán, who currently serves as a special assistant in the front office, and Albert Pujols, who has shown serious interest in managing the Mets if the opportunity is presented to him.
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