Mendoza will return as Mets manager following 2025 collapse
NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Mendoza will return as manager of the New York Mets next season, after his high-priced team faded badly in the second half this year and missed the playoffs.
At a news conference Monday to discuss the collapse, President of Baseball Operations David Stearns said Mendoza is definitely coming back. Anything else would have been a surprise, considering Mendoza was a huge hit last year in his debut and remains under contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027.
"I believe Carlos has all the same traits and assets that I believed in when we hired him two years ago, and I think over the course of his tenure here he has demonstrated that," Stearns said. "We had a tough year this year, there's no question. We are all disappointed, we are all frustrated — Mendy as much or more than anyone else. But I still believe he's a very good manager and I think he's going to demonstrate that."
Coming off a rousing and unexpected trip to the 2024 National League Championship Series, the Mets added free-agent slugger Juan Soto last offseason and began this year with a major league-high $322.6 million payroll on opening day.
They built the best record in baseball at 45-24 through June 12, then went 38-55 the rest of the way to finish 83-79. Needing a victory Sunday to earn the final NL wild card, they missed the postseason with a 4-0 loss at Miami.
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