Entering 2025, the New York Mets were supposed to be juggernauts. Their league-best 45-24 record till mid-June proved the predictions correct. But then they stumbled, falling to a 38-55 record over their final 93 games this year to make one of the most precipitous collapses in franchise history. However, with the president of baseball operations, David Stearns, having complete confidence in him, GM Carlos Mendoza will return to the Mets.

But he’s already in a do-or-die situation.

“If things don’t go well, and they may not early on in the season, Carlos Mendoza is going to be replaced by this guy. He’s a 37-year-old up-and-coming baseball mind that is beloved by the very analytical general manager,” MLB analyst Gregg Giannotti said via WFAN Sports Radio.

“He worked under Gabe Kapler. When Gabe Kapler got fired, he became the interim manager of the San Francisco Giants. And as far as I know, and just looking through, like Mendoza, obviously, he was with the Yankees for a while, and where Kai Correa was, he was with the Guardians. He was with the Giants. This is not a Carlos Mendoza hire.”

Mendoza is currently on a 3-year contract that he signed for the 2024 season. 2026 will be his final guaranteed year, putting him on the hot seat.

The Mets have named Kai Correa as their new bench coach. Correa, 37, spent this past season with the Guardians as their field coordinator and director of defense, baserunning, and game strategy.

Correa’s track record helps explain why the Mets wanted him. During his two years with Cleveland, he played a major role in turning the Guardians into one of baseball’s best defensive teams. And under his guidance, they ranked second in defensive runs saved in 2023 and seventh in 2024. Now, that’s proof that his creative, tech-driven training methods work.

Correa is known for blending old-school fundamentals with modern analytics and out-of-the-box drills. Also, he brings serious credibility and innovation to the Mets’ staff.

Already, Mendoza’s lieutenants have paid the price of the Mets’ epic 3-plus-month collapse…

In his news conference at Citi Field, Stearns highlighted three issues that led to the downfall: the front office not adequately bolstering the pitching staff when injuries surfaced; poor team defense; and the offense’s perplexing inability to supply consistent run production despite strong individual years. And so, the coaching staff suffered.

Right after their exit, New York cleaned the house. They parted ways with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, hitting coaches Jeremy Barnes and Eric Chavez, bench coach John Gibbons, and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh. Reportedly, assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel and bullpen coach José Rosado were also permitted to speak to other organizations.

In all, six coaches departed the Mets. It is one of the biggest coaching changes in the organization’s history, absent an actual managerial change.

The Mets averaged 4.73 runs per game this season, ranking sixth among NL teams. While that constituted above league average offensive production, the lineup lacked consistency and certainly underwhelmed compared to expectations.

Thus, Mendoza will have an almost completely revamped coaching staff for 2026. The only ones to survive the purge were first base/baserunning coach Antoan Richardson, strategy coach Danny Barnes, and assistant Rafael Fernandez.

Now that the Mets have announced the new hires, insiders are wondering if these moves might be more than just routine changes. Or possibly a warning shot for manager Carlos Mendoza.

As sports radio host Giannotti pointed out, Correa’s arrival might also send a message to Mendoza. The Mets now have a capable, ready-made replacement waiting in the wings.

Mendoza continues to be in the hot seat with the Mets

“I’m responsible. Since Day 1, when you take this job, you are on the hot seat. When you are managing a team that has a lot of expectations and you go home, questions like this are going to come up, and that’s part of it,” Mendoza said following a season-ending loss in September. So, when it comes to fan expectations and front-office pressure, the Mets are right up there with the Yankees and Dodgers. For these teams, winning is the only thing that matters. Just like Aaron Boone and Dave Roberts, Carlos Mendoza feels that weight every day he steps into the dugout.

Now, to be fair, Mendoza hasn’t been a total disappointment. Reportedly, over two seasons, he’s posted a 172–152 record. Thus, giving him the fifth-highest winning percentage among all 24 managers in Mets history. Still, the way this past season ended with them also missing the playoffs raised plenty of questions about his future.

However, Mets president David Stearns has publicly backed Mendoza, saying, “I think we have leadership in our clubhouse. I did not think that was a problem…I believe Carlos has all the same traits and assets that I believed [he had] when we hired him two years ago. And I think over the course of his tenure here, he has demonstrated that… But I still believe he’s a very good manager, and I think he’s going to demonstrate that.”

But as the Mets head into 2026, that vote of confidence will likely hinge on how the team performs next year. The recent coaching shake-up might just be the front office’s subtle way of reminding Mendoza that patience in Queens only lasts so long. And as Stearns said, “Going into this offseason, I’m not going to take anything off the table.”