The other day, during an episode of the New York Post’s ‘The Show’ podcast, Mets president David Stearns sounded firm when asked about Carlos Mendoza’s job security. “Oh yeah, Mendy’s doing a great job. I think he’s the right person for this job.” Now, only a fortnight later, the same narrative doesn’t hold the same weight anymore. Dropping their record to 76-70, the New York Mets were brutally outscored by 15 runs (21-6) through the first three games of this four-game set against the Phillies. The Mets are now appearing completely collapsed, losing seven of their last eleven games. Naturally, speculations over Mendoza’s job security intensified.

According to insider Mark C. Healey, if the team misses the playoffs, it’s uncertain if manager Carlos Mendoza will be given more time to prove himself. “I don’t see the #Mets firing Carlos Mendoza. However, if this team misses the postseason, I’m not sure how Mendy gets a longer leash than Buck Showalter. If he is fired, Carlos Beltran will be the name we hear the most. But I suspect it will be somebody we don’t expect.” He said.

Apparently, Beltrán and the Mets agreed for him to become the team’s next manager in November 2019. However, the front office had eventually pulled the plug before the season began due to his role in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal.

Now that it’s been years since that incident, MLB and the Mets’ ire towards the scandal appears to have cooled. Moreover, the Mets have already shown their willingness to keep Beltrán in the organization. They hired him as a special assistant to general manager Billy Eppler back in 2023. That relationship could help open the door for Beltrán to land as a manager if the team moves on from Mendoza.

If not, the third time could be a charm for Uncle Buck, too. The four-time Manager of the Year winner managed the Mets in 2022-2023. He could be a strong candidate to return to Queens if Mendoza is relieved of his duties.

But let’s also not forget how Mets ownership has been unpredictable with hires. What if instead of a familiar name, they go with a candidate who has no prior ties to the Mets? For now, the Mets will have to snap the five-game losing streak.

The Mets just can’t seem to catch a break

Wednesday’s 11-3 blowout loss to the Phillies marked the Mets’ fifth straight defeat. While they’ve been pitching steadily, their bats have gone severely cold. Their bullpen, which once looked extraordinary after the trade deadline, now looks ordinary at best.

Despite their weaknesses, the team hadn’t lost much ground in the standings. Credit goes to the Giants’ loss; the Mets still hold the final NL playoff spot by two games. With 16 games left on the schedule, they’ve got time to recover and clinch the wild card. Recently, Clay Holmes expressed his belief in the team and said, “There’s no doubt we’re super talented. We still believe we have what it takes.”

Meanwhile, Francisco Lindor, who is in a 0-for-15 slide, stated, “You’ve got to stay optimistic. You’ve got to fight for each other, like everyone here is doing. But at the end of the day, we’ve just got to play better.” The Mets have rarely looked this off.

Maybe now all they need is renewed momentum before entering October. After all, it’s the same team that was the best in the league at 45-24 on June 12. Then, after, they have spent the following three months looking inconsistent and now flat-out collapsing.