“Mendy’s our guy. He’s our leader,” Francisco Lindor said about the New York Mets now-former manager Carlos Mendoza when the team was going through a tough April. Now, when the Mets fired Mendoza after a 34-47 start, the All-star Shortstop maintained the same stance. While expressing his shock over the decision he admitted how his own down-sided performance also contributed to Mendoza losing his job.

“We failed Mendy. I failed Mendy,” Lindor said via SNY. “I didn’t play to my capability to help him win as many games as we could.”

It was the same with Alex Cora for the Boston Red Sox, Rob Thomson with the Philadelphia Phillies, and now with Mendoza that the managers take the blame for poor on-field numbers.

The Mets entered 2026 with a $350 million payroll, marquee names like Lindor and Juan Soto, and a rebuilt core with names like Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien. Result? The team is ranked 26th in terms of average (.231) and 24th in terms of scoring runs (328). Lindor himself had a .267 average and recorded 31 homers last year, which came down to .214 and 2 homers so far in 2026. Additionally, he was sidelined with injuries until recently.

The Mets’ third game against the Cubs on Wednesday was the latest evidence of how the clubhouse failed holistically. They made 6 errors in the game, and a sloppy and lethargic play was displayed.

“I mean, what do you say at this point? I mean, this team is in the depths of despair,” a frustrated Gary Cohen said via the PIX 11 telecast. “Can’t get starting pitching to hold the other team at bay. Struggling with their offense, and now the defense falls apart.”

With such an on-field display, a manager can’t do much in the baseball business. “He apologized for not helping us win as much, but at the end of the day, this is not on him. It’s more on us, the players, that we didn’t perform to our capabilities,” Lindor added.

The Mets’ rough offseason could also be blamed. The decision to dismantle their core, comprising Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Edwin Diaz, and Brandon Nimmo, proved costly. New names like Bichette are hitting .254, and Semien is hitting .214. So, when the roster fails as a whole, even for a manager who had a 200-165 record in his managing career with the Yankees can’t save the team. Rather, Mendoza will always be remembered as someone who always defended the clubhouse in the face of huge fan uproar.

“It hurts. He’s a great man and a great family man and somebody that we appreciate. We care for him,” Lindor noted. MLB demands performance, especially in New York; nothing short of a championship works. The Mets need to check for a proper replacement who could carry forward this legacy.

Time is ticking for the Mets’ new manager selection

The Mets selected former Padres manager Andy Green as their interim manager. However, in the long term, the former Red Sox manager Alex Cora could be an option.

The Mets need a decorated manager, and Cora won a World Series with the Red Sox. Moreover, Cora’s .534 winning percentage with a big-market team like the Red Sox should come in handy for the Mets. And yes, he is readily available. There’s another MLB legend and future Hall of Famer who is reportedly interested in getting the job: Albert Pujols.

“Heard from a source today that Albert Pujols, in recent weeks, had let friends know he’d very much want the Mets’ manager job if and when they moved on from Mendoza,” SNY’s John Harper shared. “Pujols managed the DR team in the WBC and has a very strong relationship with Soto.” The 3x NL MVP reportedly also checked out the Los Angeles Angels’ manager job.

The Mets have a few probable names on the table, and an early selection holds the key to pushing the team through October this year.