The New York Mets are off to a brutal start in 2026, sitting at 10-21—the worst record in all of Major League Baseball. After dropping 17 of their last 20 games, including a painful 12-game losing streak, many fans are calling for change. But according to president of baseball operations David Stearns, manager Carlos Mendoza's job is safe—for now.

"We know our record is not what we want and we know we are capable of more," Stearns told MLB.com. "We don't view this as a manager problem and we don't intend to make a change."

That vote of confidence comes at a time when other teams are making swift moves. Both the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies swapped skippers in the past week, with early returns looking positive. Boston is 2-2 since Chad Tracy took over for Alex Cora, and Philadelphia is a perfect 3-0 under Don Mattingly after Rob Thomson's departure. While it's too soon to draw conclusions, the shake-ups have sparked life in those dugouts.

Mendoza, now in his third season at the helm, entered 2026 on shaky ground after overseeing one of the most stunning collapses in recent memory. Last June 11, the Mets owned the best record in baseball at 45-24. Then it all fell apart. They went 39-55 the rest of the way and missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker with the Cincinnati Reds. Over their last 162 games, the Mets are a disappointing 72-90—a mark that stings even more given the franchise's nearly $400 million payroll.

This season, the issues are clear. Run prevention has been average, but the offense is scoring just 3.42 runs per game—second fewest in baseball. The team's 79 OPS+ ranks dead last, and their 10-21 start is the fourth worst in franchise history after April, trailing only the infamous 1962, 1964, and 1981 Mets squads.

Injuries to stars like Francisco Lindor (hamate, calf), Jorge Polanco (wrist), and Juan Soto (calf) have certainly hurt, but they don't tell the whole story. When a team is this bad, the manager inevitably shares some of the blame. But as Stearns pointed out, Mendoza didn't build this roster—that responsibility falls squarely on the front office.

The Mets now head to Anaheim to open a nine-game west coast trip against the Angels on Friday. For Mendoza and his team, it's a chance to turn the page. But with the pressure mounting and the losses piling up, every game feels like a crossroads.