The New York Mets have their new replacement for Buck Showalter, having named New York Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza as manager.
Mendoza Brings Impressive Resume to Mets Franchise
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Mendoza got the call earlier today and will take over for a Mets team seeking to re-enter the playoff mix in 2024:
Mendoza got the job as an infield coach for the Yankees in 2017 and served as bench coach for five seasons. He helped the Yankees secure five playoff berths and two trips to the ALCS.
Mendoza has been recruited for managerial roles in the past. The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers were tied to him back in 2020 and the Cleveland Guardians were in the mix to sign him this offseason as well.
Overall, his winning resume was a major draw for the Mets, who decided to ultimately bring him on board over a strong pool of candidates who were in competition with him for the job.
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Mark Kotsay Staying With the Athletics Narrowed Down the Mets’ List of Candidates
Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay was reportedly in the hunt to take over in Queens, NY., but it was reported earlier today that he will remain with the A’s, per Jason Burke of Fan Nation’s Inside the A’s.
Kotsay’s 110-214 record in his two years with the Athletics was not a deterrent to Mets president David Stearns considering him. In his defense, Oakland saw a massive roster shift during his tenure, with All-Stars Frankie Montas, Chris Bassitt and Matt Olson among key departures, all of which were instrumental to the Athletics’ previous success.
Brewers Manager Craig Counsell Was a Major Draw
The Mets were heavily tied to Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell. The two-time champion as a player has led the Brewers since 2015. In that span, he’s led the Brewers to five playoff appearances and coached OF Christian Yelich to a 2018 NL MVP.
However, with the Brewers having the capacity to make Mendoza the highest-paid manager in baseball, the odds of landing him were a bit of a stretch.
How Mendoza Can Turn the Mets Around
The Mets went from 101 wins in 2022 and World Series contenders to 75 wins and marquee free-agent contenders in 2023. Franchise player Pete Alonso was vocal about his affinity for Showalter and wanting a replacement who could approximate his leadership at the least.
Mendoza can help the Mets get off to a fast start and prevent a 10-19 midseason slump in the month of June which took them from battling to stay afloat at .500 to stuck in a hole they could not get out of.
