After Carlos Mendoza’s dismissal, Mets look to a high-profile mix of manager candidates that includes Albert Pujols

The Mets moved on from manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday, opening the next chapter of a season that has drifted far from expectations. Day 1 of the post-Mendoza era quickly reflected the wider problems, as New York dropped its seventh straight game, losing to the Phillies 2-1. With the Mets falling to 34-48 and sitting with the fifth-worst record in baseball, the managerial change reads less like a reset mid-season and more like a clear report that New York is preparing for a larger rebuild at the trade deadline.

Along with the win-loss mark, New York’s run profile has been a central driver of the upheaval. The Mets are described as carrying the fourth-worst run differential in baseball, at minus-48. That combination matters because it frames how the front office views the gap between the current roster and the level needed to compete, not only in isolated stretches but across the full body of work.

In reporting on the early list of replacements, CBS Sports identified six manager candidates to watch, with Albert Pujols among the names being discussed. The same report also places Carlos Beltran on the list. Both are recognizable figures within baseball, and their inclusion suggests the Mets are weighing candidates with substantial on-field credibility, along with the ability to translate experience into daily decisions and player development.

Pujols and Beltran are not the only managerial conversation points, though the report’s headline framing focuses on those two. The key operational takeaway is that the Mets appear to be shopping for leadership that can stabilize a struggling clubhouse while aligning the staff with a likely talent reallocation. In teams with severe run-differential problems, the manager’s approach becomes tightly linked to how the organization values young players, how it manages pitching usage, and how it prioritizes fundamentals that can be taught quickly.

The Mendoza firing also carries a roster-management implication. With New York’s record described as among the worst in the majors, CBS Sports writes that the team’s situation figures to lead to selling at the deadline. In practical terms, that means the new manager is expected to be comfortable working through a transition phase, treating the final weeks of the season as more than damage control.

For Mets fans and evaluators inside the sport, the immediate next questions are straightforward. Who, among the six names, is truly in the mix once interviews and background checks begin in earnest? And how quickly will New York outline an organizing principle for the rest of the season, especially around pitching management and how position players are developed and deployed.

One reason the candidate list matters beyond curiosity is that managerial hiring can shape internal expectations for the next roster cycle. If the Mets are headed toward deadline selling and a longer retool, the manager they select will likely be evaluated on whether the club’s younger or fringe players show measurable progress, rather than solely on short-term results in a year that has already gone off track.