Mets president David Stearns defends Carlos Mendoza, says manager is not to blame for struggles

CHICAGO (AP) - New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns defended Carlos Mendoza, saying the manager is not to blame for the team's struggles.

"I think Mendy's doing a very good job," he said. "I think, Mendy is putting players in positions to succeed. And we need to go out and play better."

Stearns spoke prior to New York's game against the Chicago Cubs. The Mets then got pounded 12-4 in their ninth straight loss.

Mendoza, in his third season, has a 179-165 record. He guided the Mets to the National League Championship Series in 2024, but they faded last season and are not performing the way they hoped this year.

New York is last in the NL East at 7-13 and on its worst skid since the 2004 team dropped 11 in a row. The Mets have been outscored 56-16 during the slide, yet they remain optimistic that they can turn things around and start living up to their lofty expectations.

"We haven't hit. And when you don't hit, you can look stagnant," Stearns said. "I don't think we're stagnant, I think we are playing hard. I think our guys are preparing, but I also understand even from my seat when you don't hit, when there's not a lot of action on the bases, when you can't get the double with runners on base, you can feel stagnant and I recognize that. I'm also close enough to this on a daily basis to see what's going on and to know that we've got a group that cares tremendously, is working hard. And also, in many cases, has the experience to understand where we are in the calendar."

The Mets made major changes after struggling badly in the second half last year and missing the playoffs.

They parted with several fan favorites, including Pete Alonso and All-Star closer Edwin Díaz. They acquired ace Freddy Peralta in a blockbuster trade with Milwaukee. They also brought in infielder Jorge Polanco, second baseman Marcus Semien, third baseman Bo Bichette, center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and closer Devin Williams. But a team with visions of its first World Series championship since 1986 isn't getting the results it wants.

"Part of being a good team over a six-, seven-months stretch is finding your identity through adversity, and we're facing adversity right now," Stearns said. "It's really an earlier stage than any of us expected or wanted, but this has an opportunity to be part of our story, help us find our identity, come through this, and understand we have the ability to do that."

The Cubs, who also have visions of a deep playoff run, struck early on Friday. Moisés Ballesteros gave Chicago a 4-0 lead with a three-run homer in the first inning. The Mets then scored three in the second, but Nico Hoerner answered in the bottom half with a two-run drive against Kodai Senga.

Senga got tagged for seven runs in his second straight start.

The Japanese right-hander gave up six earned runs to go with six hits in 3 1/3 innings after lasting just 2 1/3 in a loss to the Athletics last week. His ERA through four starts is 8.83.

"We're close," Senga said through an interpreter. "We're not putting it all together."