The New York Mets losing another series isn’t big news anymore. But how they lost it is. In Saturday’s 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels, the New York Mets didn’t just get defeated; they beat themselves in the very first inning. The culprit? A blown replay challenge by manager Carlos Mendoza that proved to be the literal difference in the game.

“[Harrison Friedland] missed it. We called, and he missed it,” the manager said after the 3-4 loss to the Angels in extra innings. “[It] ends up being a big play when you lose by one run.”

Both teams were scoreless in the first inning when Nolan McLean pitched a 95-mph sinker with two outs. Jo Adell hit it back to right field with Jorge Soler on first base and Nolan Schanuel on second. They went for a double, but a perfect launch from Austin Slater in right field resulted in Soler being thrown out at third base. 

However, the Angels scored a run as Schanuel reached home. But replays clearly showed Soler was tagged out before Schanuel ever touched home plate. Unfortunately, the dugout never challenged the call, and the score remained 1-0 for Los Angeles.

Fans just couldn’t believe the decision. “Inexcusable. I don’t care what the replay analyst says, you challenge that play to take a run off the board,” one person posted on social media. 

Had they challenged the play, the run would have been disallowed, and the scores would remain leveled. Mendoza said they did ask the replay analyst, Harrison Friedland, for confirmation. And he missed it at first. By the time they were certain, they had already exhausted the 15-second challenge timeframe. The umpire’s call stood, and a brilliant defensive play was wasted behind rookie pitcher Nolan McLean.

It became a “big play” because the teams were 3-3 at the end of the 9th inning. The Angels scored a walk-off at the bottom of the 10th. But if Mendoza had challenged the run in the first inning, the game might not have gone to extra innings. The Mets would have been 3-2 at the end of the 9th. 

“This one, like you said, stinks, you know,” Mendoza said in a postgame interview. He implied how disappointed he was after being so close yet failing to secure a win. However, the fans are not buying his explanations. Those who have been through thick and thin with the team refuse to forgive the manager after his action failed them again.

Mets’ missed execution only deepens frustration after costly replay lapse

“Damn….Basically, you missed the play? What are you looking at? Not even close play at 3rd…he was out by 10feet. You blaming replay guy. What a shame…” wrote one fan. 

Soler was well short of the bag. The third base umpire didn’t need to think twice before signaling the out. But the fact is, most pairs of eyes were pinned to third base. That’s why people initially missed that Schanuel had not reached the home plate yet.

But Carlos Mendoza’s decision to wait for the replay analyst was something different. Each team gets only one challenge, and the manager wanted to be sure he could overturn the call. But then again, they should have been hasty about it, knowing the limited timeframe allowed for a challenge. 

But the decision not to challenge without confirmation wasn’t the only part that irked the fans. His attitude about it was a big reason as well. 

“Way too casual about a missed call that ended up costing you a game,” one comment read.

The way Mendoza said “he missed it” and followed it up by saying how Harrison is the best didn’t sit well with the fans. According to many, it was too clear a call and too big a miss for “one of the best” analysts in the game. 

“What more evidence do you need to fire Mendoza? This team isn’t being held to any accountability or standard, and they’ve grown ok with losing way too quickly,” another fan echoed the same frustration. It was not just about delaying the decision. It’s how it affected the overall outcome of the game. The Mets produced a lot of hope with their 5-4 comeback against the Angels in the second game. But their defeat cost them another series. 

People refuse to take any more excuses or explanations from the manager who has an 11-22 record this season. They want strict accountability. And their frustration isn’t stemmed from this season’s performances only.

“Going back to last season, Mendy has not been good. Since last year all star break, terrible record. That’s all that matters. Time for a change,” wrote another user. 

The Mets were viewed as a super team in early 2025 with 45 wins and only 24 losses. They had an above-96 % chance of making the playoffs, only to suffer a free fall after the midseason break, finishing with a 38-55 record. Their postseason chances were still alive till the 162nd game, and they lost that one too. In 2026, they have managed to win only three series so far. That’s why fans want some immediate change. 

However, the change they so eagerly urge for isn’t about the lineup or the rotation. Most people are pointing towards the manager and the front office. 

“Stearns saying it’s not on Mendoza? Mendoza is a terrible in-game manager, and Stearns is awful as the head of baseball operations. They both have to go, and soon!” ranted another Mets loyalist. 

The Mets’ head of baseball operations, David Sterns, had backed Mendoza, saying it was not a manager-based problem. People criticized him because they were irked by the team’s continued poor performances. Despite having elite-level players like Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Nolan McLean, and many others, the team is suffering because of poor leadership. 

The team has been repeatedly unsuccessful in winning games after trailing in the 8th inning. And fans believe that the leadership has failed to motivate the players to perform better. And they claim that when there is no accountability among the leadership, the players would obviously feel the same way.