​  NEW YORK — No one wanted to see Carlos Mendoza go in the Mets organization. Not Francisco Lindor or Juan Soto. Not Andy Green. Not even David Stearns.Ultimately, the Mets’ dismal first half of the 2026 season meant the hard, even painstaking, decision needed to be made. With the Mets consistently falling short of expectations, Stearns needed to shake things up. In the Mets president of baseball operations’ eyes, a season littered with failure called for a “new voice, new perspective, a new view” at the top.Nothing else had worked to galvanize the Mets this season.With Mendoza relieved of his duties, the responsibility to dig out of the hole falls squarely on the players. There can be no more scapegoats and no magic solutions from Stearns.”I understand we have an uphill battle ahead of us this year, but we’re not turning the page,” Stearns said. “We all remain very focused on doing everything we can to win as many games this year, while recognizing where we are in standings.”While there is still time, the last grains of sand are slipping toward the bottom of the hourglass on the Mets’ playoff hopes. With Green at the helm on Friday night, the Mets dropped their seventh straight game, 2-1, to the Phillies to slip to 34-48.The message behind Mendoza’s firing has still driven home a point to the Mets players.”We’ve just got to play better. We’ve got to perform,” Francisco Lindor said before the game. “I haven’t had that many games, but I didn’t really perform before I got hurt. That’s tough. There’s guys that are turning the season around, but we haven’t put it together at the same time. Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to.”I feel responsible. I feel like I failed him, and now we have a really good opportunity of we just got to move forward, focus about today and our responsibility is to win.”When Green filled out the lineup card on Friday, he had the opportunity to pencil in three names at the same time for the first time since April 22: Lindor, Juan Soto and Bo Bichette. It was a luxury that Mendoza did not have for two months of the season.That is where the first hope sits for Green and the Mets over the final 80 games.”I think it has every opportunity in the world to be a dynamic offense that puts a lot of runs on the board,” Green said before the game. “It was built that way. It hasn’t had the opportunity to be out there consistently. I think we can truly do that.”As the Mets’ senior vice president of baseball development, Green has more familiarity with the younger players on the Mets roster, who he’s helped along their journey in the minor leagues. He also has experience of leading a major league club as the manager of the Padres between 2016 to 2019.Green’s shift into the manager’s chair was a responsibility more than an opportunity in his view, and he’ll return to the front office once the season is over.”I will show up every day and do my dead level best to put them in a position to succeed,” Green said. “I will show      ​Read More