Mets GM: Collins' job safe despite team's struggles

Though the New York Mets find themselves slipping out of the playoff picture, general manager Sandy Alderson still sees manger Terry Collins in the team's future.

"I don't expect any change," Alderson told Marc Carig of Newsday on Thursday. "Who knows what will happen? But that's true every year."

He added: "The short answer is he is staying. The answer as to why? Because we think that it's in the best interest of the organization."

One year removed from falling short to the Kansas City Royals in the World Series, the Mets have battled injuries and inconsistency this season, and enter a four-game set with the San Francisco Giants 10 1/2 games back in the division and four games back of the second wild-card spot.

"I just think that we haven't gotten it done for a variety of reasons," Alderson said. "We have never used injuries as an excuse for not succeeding and I'm not going to do it now."

Jen Heyman of Today's Knuckleball reported earlier Thursday that the buzz around New York was that Collins' job could be in jeopardy barring a turnaround down the stretch.

Collins remains under contract through next season, though the 67-year-old did acknowledge last October that the 2017 season could be his last before retiring. In six seasons at the helm in New York, Collins owns a 454-476 record with one playoff appearance.