Carlos Mendoza to return as Mets manager

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza will have an opportunity for redemption as he will return for the 2026 season, president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday.

With the addition of Juan Soto and carrying the second-largest payroll in MLB, the Mets were considered a World Series candidate in 2025. They owned the best record in baseball on June 12, but backslid to a mark of 38-55 over the final 3 1/2 months.

New York (83-79) fell 4-0 at Miami in Sunday's series finale, denying the playoff opportunity that the Cincinnati Reds presented with their simultaneous 4-2 loss at Milwaukee. The Mets lost the head-to-head tiebreaker for the final wild-card spot to the Reds, who had the same record.

Whereas Mendoza will return for his third year on the bench, the coaching staff has not been assured of returning. Stearns said the club will make those determinations in the short term to prepare for 2026.

"We had a tough year this year. There's no question," said Stearns. "We are all disappointed. We were all frustrated -- Mendy as much or more than anybody else. But I still believe he's a very good manager and I think he's going to demonstrate that."

Mendoza was named manager of the Mets in November 2023, signing a three-year contract with a club option for a fourth year. He piloted the 2024 squad to an 89-73 record and became the first manager in Mets history to earn a postseason berth in his rookie campaign.

New York defeated Milwaukee in the wild-card series and stunned Philadelphia in the National League Division Series to advance to its first National League Championship Series since 2015. The Mets battled the Los Angeles Dodgers for the right to play in the World Series, but fell in six games.

Mendoza, 45, has a two-year record of 172-152.

"Tremendously disappointing season," Stearns said. "Not nearly good enough. I think we all know that. We came into this year with, deservedly so, very high expectations and we didn't come close to meeting them. And I'm keenly aware of that. I'm the architect of the team. I'm responsible for it."

--Field Level Media