Mets blame being placed on someone not named Carlos Mendoza

It's almost impossible to blame the New York Mets' situation on just one person, but that's what's going to happen when the team eventually moves on from Carlos Mendoza. I wouldn't even be surprised if this happens within the next 24 hours, as the Mets simply have to make a decision and hope it works out. It seems all but guaranteed at this point that Mendoza will take most of the blame, but some don't think that should be the case, despite predicting that he'll be the next manager fired after the Boston Red Sox did the same with Alex Cora. The Mets lost 12 straight before Juan Soto’s return and a couple wins over Minnesota, but New York — much like Philadelphia — is fighting an uphill battle against historical precedent when it comes to getting back in the postseason race. This also comes after a monumental collapse in 2025, which saw the Mets’ uber-expensive lineup completely melt down over the final month of the campaign. "Mendoza should not take the brunt of the blame. It's almost never really the manager's fault. David Stearns is the man who paid Bo Bichette $42 million annually and swapped Brandon Nimmo (.835 OPS) for Marcus Semien (.602 OPS). Mendoza did not sign Devin Williams and let Edwin Díaz walk. However, Stearns is the guy who paid all of them, so he should be taking more heat than Mendoza is. The Mets' struggles stem from paying high-profile players like Bo Bichette, who needs to perform better, but the financial decisions by Stearns are also a significant factor.