Carlos Mendoza blasts reports about clubhouse issues that allegedly impacted Mets during 2025 season

A report from late November suggested that clubhouse issues impacted the New York Mets as they endured a brutal collapse this past season en route to missing the playoffs. 

While speaking with reporters at MLB's winter meetings on Monday, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza offered a passionate response to such claims. 

Carlos Mendoza says reports about Mets' clubhouse not based in "reality"

"It's impressive that nobody talked about our clubhouse, and in the last two weeks, what we hear is that we were basically fighting every day when it's completely contrary to the reality," Mendoza said while speaking in Spanish, according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN. "It's a professional clubhouse where the guys respected each other, where the guys came to work and to compete day in and day out."

Specifically, Mike Puma of the New York Post shared in a piece published on Nov. 28 that Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and utility man Jeff McNeil had a "heated confrontation" on June 20 regarding a defensive lapse McNeil had during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Per NESN's Colin Keane, Puma also said "that relations between Lindor and Juan Soto were chilly following the latter’s arrival on a record $765M contract," in part because the star players are "just two different personalities." 

Under Mendoza, the Mets completed a run to the 2024 National League Championship Series before they ended June 12 of this year with a record of 45-24. However, inconsistent performances from the lineup and from the club's pitching staff ultimately sank the Mets' postseason hopes. 

From June 13 through the final day of the regular season, the Mets went 38-55. 

Carlos Mendoza understands life in the big city  

"What was the difference? We didn't win baseball games," Mendoza added. "Nobody talked about our clubhouse for the first 2.5 months of the season when we had the best record. Nobody talked about the clubhouse. Two and a half months of bad baseball happened, and so now everyone is talking about the problems. It's completely a lie. But it's part of the market. It's part of what we live with in New York."

Mendoza's comments likely won't silence chatter about the Mets possibly trading McNeil before spring training gets underway. Less than a week before Puma's story went public, the Mets sent outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien.