Carlos Mendoza to return for third season as manager of Mets - ESPN

NEW YORK — Despite a stunning 3 1/2-month collapse to miss the playoffs, Carlos Mendoza will return as manager of the New York Mets for the 2026 season, president of baseball operations David Stearns said Monday.

«I believe Carlos has all the same traits and assets that I believed [he had] when we hired him two years ago,» Stearns said. «And I think over the course of his tenure here, he has demonstrated that. We had a tough year this year. There's no question. We are all disappointed. We were all frustrated — Mendy, as much or more than anybody else. But I still believe he's a very good manager and I think he's going to demonstrate that.»

Stearns said the team will evaluate the remainder of the coaching staff within the next week before making any further decisions.

Mendoza, who was hired in November 2023, went 172-152 over his first two seasons and led the Mets to the National League Championship Series last year.

This season, however, ended with a 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins when a win would have sent the Mets to the playoffs for the second straight year. With the defeat, the Cincinnati Reds claimed the final National League wild-card spot despite losing to the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Mets and Reds finished tied in the standings at 83-79, but Cincinnati owned the head-to-head tiebreaker.

It was a stunning outcome for a club that entered the season carrying World Series aspirations with the second-highest payroll in the majors after signing Juan Soto to the richest contract in North American sports history. The team played accordingly, sporting the best record in the majors on June 12, but then the Mets went 38-55 for the rest of the season. Only four teams were worse.

«Mets fans everywhere, I owe you an apology,»