Mets manager tries to defend controversial decision after loss

The New York Mets had an opportunity to notch a thrilling come-from-behind win in the bottom of the ninth inning of Monday's game against the Cleveland Guardians when shortstop Francisco Lindor doubled down the right field line to send speedster Tyrone Taylor on a trip around the bases. 

However, Mets third base coach Mike Sarbaugh controversially stopped Taylor short of home before Guardians first baseman Carlos Santana dropped the ball on an attempted relay. The Amazins ultimately failed to produce the game-winning run, and Cleveland went on to earn a 7-6 victory in 10 innings. 

Following the defeat, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza defended Sarbaugh.

"I think there’s a right decision there because the ball didn’t get all the way to the wall," Mendoza said about the play, as shared by Manny Gomez of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "[If] you get Taylor thrown out at the plate right there with [slugger Juan Soto] and [first baseman Pete Alonso] coming up, you’re going to be second-guessing that decision."

Santana's inability to cleanly play the relay understandably left Mets fans wondering what could have been. The Guardians intentionally walked Soto before Cleveland's Cade Smith struck Alonso out and then got second baseman Jeff McNeil to line out. 

"I thought it was 100 percent the right one because when he’s making the decision, the ball is on the way to the cut-off man," Mendoza added about Sarbaugh's call. "You can’t wait whether Santana bobbles it after the fact. The decision’s already made."

In the top of the 10th, Mets third baseman Brett Baty made an errant throw that led to Cleveland putting two runs on the scoreboard. While the hosts erased a 5-0 deficit earlier in the evening, they weren't able to tie things up again in the bottom half of the 10th: