Former Mets reliever blames Mendoza for pitcher injuries
Former New York Mets reliever Adam Ottavino believes manager Carlos Mendoza is responsible for the rash of pitching injuries that plagued the team in 2025.
"They need to be better than this. This is embarrassing. This is actually pathetic. ... I would've never let this happen if I was on the team last year," Ottavino said while hosting an episode of "Baseball and Coffee."
Ottavino added that Mendoza "has no idea what he's doing" when it comes to bullpen decisions and keeping pitchers healthy, and he stressed that he hopes something changes in the future.
"If they continue down this path, they're gonna be f---ed, because you cannot injure this many dudes every year," Ottavino said. "Hopefully, this is not an actual strategy because it's freakin' pathetic, and it's not player-friendly, and eventually people will catch on.
The Mets used an MLB-record 46 pitchers during the 2025 season and suffered injuries to numerous players, including five pitchers who remain sidelined after major arm surgeries.
| PITCHER | INJURY |
|---|---|
| Tylor Megill | Tommy John surgery |
| Reed Garrett | Tommy John surgery |
| Max Kranick* | Flexor tendon surgery |
| Dedniel Núñez | Tommy John surgery |
| Danny Young | Tommy John surgery |
*reportedly non-tendered by Mets on Friday
New York missed the playoffs last campaign and has several pitchers, including All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, entering free agency this offseason.