The New York Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday. The team is 34-47, dead last in the NL East, and playing its worst baseball of the season. The halfway point of 2026 has been a disaster for a club with a payroll north of $300 million.
They got swept at home by the Chicago Cubs in a four-game series. In the third game, they committed six errors in a 10-5 loss. General manager David Stearns didn’t point to that game as the reason for the firing, but it sure didn’t help.
The Mets now host the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field this weekend, and the mood is grim. They are 9.5 games back of the St. Louis Cardinals for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League. History says comebacks are possible. But it’s going to take more than just hoping things turn around.
So what do they actually do now?
Name Francisco Lindor the captain. Just do it.
Lindor is the best all-around player on the team and the longest-tenured Met. Owner Steve Cohen said during spring training he wasn’t a fan of naming a captain. But Mendoza is gone, and front office executive Andy Green is the interim manager. This team needs a leader who commands the room.
Lindor has the personality for it. He plays with joy but can get serious when needed. He’s a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, and two-time Gold Glove shortstop. He’s in his 12th big league season and his sixth with the Mets after starting his career in Cleveland.
He’s been limited this year by a left calf strain suffered in April. He’s played only 25 games and his numbers are rough — .214 batting average, two home runs, five RBIs. But he’s back in the lineup now. Naming him captain would give the Mets a single voice that everyone follows. That matters.
Albert Pujols should be the next manager
Pujols is a regular analyst on MLB Network these days, and he looks like a mild-mannered guy on TV. But he knows hitting better than almost anyone alive. He managed the Dominican Republic team in the World Baseball Classic this year, leading them to the semifinals before a 2-1 loss to the United States. Players respected him. The baseball world took notice.
He has said publicly he wants to manage in the majors and would welcome an interview. That’s where it gets interesting for the Mets. Pujols has a strong relationship with Juan Soto, the team’s best hitter. Soto was the star of that Dominican WBC team. The mutual respect is obvious. And honestly, Soto’s focus could use some sharpening. Playing for Pujols might help.
Stop shuffling the lineup every night
Under Mendoza, the Mets rarely put the same lineup out there for more than a few games at a time. That does not help anyone. When players don’t know where they’re hitting or where they’re fielding, it creates insecurity. If a guy is hot, leave him in the same spot. Let him breathe.
One specific thing: get Mark Vientos off first base. He is shaky there. When the other infielders see him playing first, they lose confidence. It’s no coincidence the Mets made six errors in a game with Vientos at first. That can’t keep happening.
The season isn’t over yet. But the Mets have to stop digging. These are three steps they can take starting now.
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