Andy Green Isn’t the Mets’ Long-Term Answer. The Search Starts This Winter.

The New York Mets made it official Friday: Carlos Mendoza is out as manager. But the guy stepping in for now, Andy Green, won’t be sticking around beyond this season.

David Stearns, the team’s president of baseball operations, told reporters that Green will return to the front office after the season ends. The Mets plan to conduct a full managerial search this winter, per Chelsea Janes of SNY Mets. So anyone hoping Green might get a longer look can stop holding their breath.

Mendoza’s firing wasn’t exactly a shock. The Mets are 34-47, dead last in the NL East, and that’s not what anyone expected from a team with this payroll and these aspirations. The season has been a flat-out disappointment, and the front office decided something had to give.

Stearns released a statement thanking Mendoza for his three years with the organization. He called Mendoza beloved by staff and players, said his impact on the culture was transformative, but acknowledged the team is falling short and change is necessary. Owner Steve Cohen echoed that, saying the commitment to a championship-caliber team hasn’t changed but that this season has been a letdown for fans.

Green, who was the team’s vice president of player development, will manage the rest of the way. He’s managed before, most notably with the San Diego Padres from 2016 through 2019, where he went 274-366. He’s been in the Mets system since 2021, working behind the scenes. The interim tag gives him a chance to show he can hold the locker room, but Stearns made it clear this is a temporary arrangement.

So who’s next? The Mets will cast a wide net. They’ll have money to spend on the right candidate, and they’re a big-market team with ownership willing to write checks. But they’re also a team that just fired a manager three years into a rebuild-to-compete cycle, so whoever takes the job will know the expectations are immediate and the patience is short.

For now, Green gets a few months to audition for a job that’s already been advertised to the public. That’s a weird spot to be in, but he’s a pro. And the Mets have a lot of baseball left to play before they start interviewing candidates.