4x All-Star Juan Soto Admits He Didn’t Expect Mets to Fire Carlos Mendoza Despite Poor Results

Carlos Mendoza was fired by the New York Mets on Friday after the team lost their 6th straight game and were left with a 34-47 record.

4x All-Star Juan Soto Admits He Didn’t Expect Mets to Fire Carlos Mendoza Despite Poor Results

Juan Soto and Carlos Mendoza (Image via X/@SNY_Mets/X/@JustBB_Media)

On Friday, the New York Mets let go of Carlos Mendoza. Following their 6th straight loss on Thursday, the team fired him. While speaking on his departure, 4-time All-Star Juan Soto admitted that he did not expect to see him go despite the poor results he had.

Mendoza, who was hired in November 2023, was under pressure since the start of the year. Last season, the team finished 83-79 after being 45-24 at one stage. This record saw them miss the playoffs on the final day of the season.

The offseason saw them lose some of their key players in Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz. They then brought in Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Freddy Peralta, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, and Bo Bichette.

After a 7-4 start this season, the team lost 12 games in a row. This marked the first time since 2002 that the team had dropped 12 successive games.

Despite the poor start, the Mets had backed Mendoza. President of Baseball Operations David Stearns previously claimed that they did not view the situation as a manager problem.

This week, the Mets got swept by the Chicago Cubs. On Wednesday, the team lost 10-3 and 10-5 in the doubleheader. In the second game, they committed 6 infield errors.

On Thursday, there were more mistakes. 2 errors in the 6th inning saw them concede 3 runs. In the end, they lost 4-3 after 10 innings and were left with a 34-47 record after 81 games.

The team then decided that enough was enough. Mendoza was relieved of his duties on Friday, with Andy Green taking over as interim manager for the remainder of the season.

Soto, who joined the team in December 2024 on a record-breaking $765 million deal, claimed it was tough to see Mendoza go.

It’s moves every day here. You see bullpen guys going up and down, trades, starters getting moved to the bullpen. You’re always expecting those moves. But seeing Mendoza, it’s just tough.

Juan Soto said regarding Carlos Mendoza

In Green’s first game as the interim manager, the Mets lost again. They suffered a 2-1 defeat against the Philadelphia Phillies and lost for the 7th successive game. Soto went 0-for-4 with 1 strikeout.

The team is now 34-48, 14 games behind the .500 mark. Their last victory came last Friday when they beat the Phillies 6-4.

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Carlos Mendoza apologizes for his failure to win championships with Mets

Carlos Mendoza’s tenure with the New York Mets came to an end on Friday. A few hours after his dismissal, the 46-year-old issued a statement and thanked the team for their support. He then apologized to the fans for his failure to win championships.

Mets' Carlos Mendoza
Carlos Mendoza (Image via Imago)

In his debut season, the team finished 89-73 and reached the National League Championship Series (NLCS). They eventually lost in the NLCS against the eventual champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With the signing of Juan Soto later on, the Mets were considered favorites for the title last season. At 45-24, they had the best record in the league as well.

As the team kept losing, frustration among the fans grew. Many times, the fans urged for his sacking. In his statement, Mendoza expressed that he was sorry for the hard times the supporters had to go through.

Finally, thank you to the fans. Your energy, loyalty, and unwavering support made it an honor to wear the Mets uniform and represent this organization. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring a championship to Queens. New York will always hold a special place in my heart.

Carlos Mendoza said

In 405 regular-season games, Mendoza has a 206-199 record (.509). In the playoffs, he went 7-6 while losing in the NLCS in his debut season.

Before becoming a manager, he spent a few seasons with the New York Yankees as a coach. It now remains to be seen what is next for him after this.

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