Mets manager Carlos Mendoza refutes reports of clubhouse issues - ESPN

ORLANDO, Fla. — New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza firmly refuted recent reports of clubhouse issues last season, including a rift between Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto, calling them a «lie» and «wrong» during a news conference at MLB's winter meetings Monday.

«It's impressive that nobody talked about our clubhouse and in the last two weeks what we hear is that we were basically fighting every day when it's completely contrary to the reality,» Mendoza said in Spanish. «It's a professional clubhouse where the guys respected each other, where the guys came to work and to compete day in and day out.»

Last month, the New York Post reported that Lindor had strong words for second baseman Jeff McNeil after a late-inning defensive mistake against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 20. The incident, confirmed by sources to ESPN, happened in front of teammates in the clubhouse and spawned tension.

The Mets dropped that game in Philadelphia 10-2 for their seventh straight loss. The skid was the beginning of a 3½-month collapse that plummeted the Mets from the best record in baseball to out of the postseason picture despite fielding the second-most expensive roster in the majors.

«What was the difference? We didn't win baseball games,» Mendoza said. «Nobody talked about our clubhouse for the first 2½ months of the season when we had the best record. Nobody talked about the clubhouse. Two and a half months of bad baseball happened, and so now everyone is talking about the problems. It's completely a lie. But it's part of the market. It's part of what we live with in New York.»

Mendoza also addressed criticism former Mets reliever Adam Ottavino recently levied at him on his «Baseball & Coffee» podcast. Ottavino, who made 60 relief