Mets' David Stearns confirms opinion of manager Carlos Mendoza amid wild-card race

New York Mets second-year manager Carlos Mendoza recently accepted responsibility for what became an eight-game losing streak that threatened to knock the club out of the race for a National League wild-card playoff berth. 

Before New York notched an 8-3 home win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns suggested he and team owner Steve Cohen haven't lost faith in Mendoza.

Carlos Mendoza receives vote of confidence from David Stearns

"Mendy has done a very good job," Stearns said while speaking with reporters on Tuesday afternoon, per Phillip Martinez of SNY. "He's been a positive leader, a consistent leader, and he's done what he can to get our group going. I think he's going to continue to do that."

Stearns hinted in late August that Mendoza wasn't in danger of losing his job, but that was before what was a 76-65 club fell to 76-73. The Mets have since earned back-to-back victories, and they began Wednesday holding a 1.5-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the battle for the final NL wild-card playoff spot. 

"We’ve remained consistent as a group," Stearns added. "As a coaching staff, we’re putting in the work and doing our best to prepare our players. And that’s where our focus is."

As Manny Gomez noted for NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, the Mets embraced a different strategy for Tuesday's game that involved starter Clay Holmes going four innings before fellow starter Sean Manaea allowed one run over five innings. The Mets' need to go down such a route shows how much the rotation has failed to provide length throughout the season. Mendoza isn't to blame for that, nor is he responsible for the inconsistent performances of what has occasionally been a high-powered offense. 

David Stearns gets honest about disappointing summer

The Mets ended June 12 at 45-24 but then went 33-49 over their following 82 games. On Tuesday, Stearns sounded baffled while speaking about the team's summer collapse. 

"When you’re sitting where we were in mid-June, we didn’t expect to be in this spot, there’s no question about that," Stearns admitted. "We’ll have time to evaluate and diagnose and do all that stuff. For right now, my focus is from here forward, what can we do to win as many games as possible. That's in the regular season and the postseason."

The 78-73 Mets will look to win a third straight game when they host the 82-69 Padres on Wednesday evening.