Carlos Mendoza Was Candidate For 1 Manager Job Before Phillies Move

The New York Mets have a lot of questions to answer this offseason after another season of missing the playoffs. 

The Mets moved on from manager Carlos Mendoza during the season, and they named Andy Green the interim. Green ended up signing a three-year contract to be the full-time manager after he had the team showing some life in what was a disappointing start to the year. 

As for Mendoza, he has already landed a new job, being named the third base coach and infield coach for the Philadelphia Phillies, meaning he is staying in the National League East. 

The Phillies fired their manager, Rob Thomson, during the 2026 season, and named Don Mattingly as the interim. Mattingly wound up being the full-time manager now, and a big reason was because Alex Cora said he doesn't plan to manage in 2027 after he was fired from the Boston Red Sox. 

With Mendoza going to Philadelphia, it turns out he was a candidate for one managerial opening: The Seattle Mariners. 

ESPN's Jorge Castillo reported the news, and he said that Mendoza actually withdrew his name from the search in Seattle before taking the job in Philadelphia. 

The Mariners are one of two teams searching for a new manager, with the Houston Astros as the other team that was open before Mendoza went to Philadelphia. Since then, the Los Angeles Angels moved on from Kurt Suzuki after one season, so there is a new opening in Anaheim, although it doesn't have much appeal due to the roster. 

Mendoza not even remaining in the candidate pool might be a surprise. On the other hand, maybe Mendoza thinks he could be in line for the Phillies job if Mattingly doesn't perform well in 2027, or even another job if other managers are fired next season (which always seems to be the case.) 

Mendoza went 206-199 in two-plus seasons in Queens. In 2025, the Mets were once in first place in the NL East, but a shocking collapse caused them to miss the postseason altogether because the last game of the season was the difference-maker. 

Mendoza was on the New York Yankees staff as an assistant from 2018 through 2023 before he moved across town to Queens, so he is a respected coach in MLB circles. 

The Mariners are still searching for a manager, and one can only wonder what it would have been like if Mendoza took the job.