Albert Pujols Wants the Mets Job, and His Soto Connection Makes It Interesting

The New York Mets fired Carlos Mendoza on Friday, and the coaching carousel is already spinning. But one name floating around the rumor mill isn’t a typical retread manager or a hotshot bench coach. It’s Albert Pujols, the future Hall of Famer with 703 home runs and zero days of MLB managerial experience.

According to SNY’s John Harper, Pujols has quietly let people close to him know he would love to take over in Queens if the Mendoza situation went south. And now it has. The report says Pujols has a very strong relationship with Juan Soto, which is worth noting given Soto’s looming free agency and the Mets’ desperate need to keep star power happy.

What Pujols Brings to the Table

Pujols has never managed in the majors, but he did lead the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. That’s not nothing. Players on that roster raved about his presence, his feel for the game, and the way he commanded respect without screaming. He’s not a drill sergeant. He’s a guy who can walk into a room and have everyone shut up just by being there.

That matters in New York. The Mets clubhouse has been a mess for stretches. Too many voices, not enough direction. Pujols would walk in with instant credibility because he’s done what every player in that room dreams of doing. But credibility doesn’t automatically mean he can manage a bullpen or handle a postgame press conference after a four-game skid.

The Juan Soto Factor

The Soto connection is the part that should make Mets fans pay attention. Pujols and Soto share Dominican roots and a mutual respect that goes back years. If the Mets want to convince Soto to stay long-term, hiring a manager he trusts could be a smart pivot. That’s not the only reason to hire a guy, but in a sport where relationships drive a lot of decisions, it’s a real factor.

We’ve seen this before. Great players become managers and it works (see: Aaron Boone, though opinions vary) or it doesn’t (see: almost everyone else). There’s no formula. But Pujols has shown an appetite for the job. He wants it. And the Mets, who have been allergic to stability since the last World Series run, might be willing to take a swing.

For now, Andy Green steps in as interim manager. The Mets aren’t rushing. They’ll likely wait until the offseason to make a permanent hire. That gives them time to interview candidates, gauge interest, and figure out if Pujols is genuinely ready for the grind of a 162-game season in the biggest media market in baseball.

Hiring a guy with zero MLB coaching experience is a gamble. But so was leaving Mendoza in place after a brutal start. The Mets are in that kind of mood right now.