Four MLB managers who are already on the hot seat

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Four MLB managers who are already on the hot seat

By Daniel Morrison | Last updated Apr 22, 2026 3:51 PM ET

The MLB season is a marathon, and in April, the marathon has truly just begun. Still, these games count just as much as the ones in August, and there are managers around the game who have landed on the hot seat on the backs of poor starts.

Here's a look at four managers who are feeling the heat and may need a drastic turnaround to save their jobs.

Matt Quatraro, Kansas City Royals

The Royals are off to an atrocious start to their season. At 7-16, they have the worst record in all of MLB after going just 2-8 in their last 10 games. That puts the Royals on pace to miss the playoffs for a third time in four seasons under Quatraro.

The Royals are currently in the midst of a series with the Baltimore Orioles, where they're looking to snap an eight-game losing streak.

Tony Vitello, San Francisco Giants

The Giants are running a sort of experiment, becoming the first team to hire a manager who had no prior experience coaching professionals. So far, it's gone poorly, with the offense stagnating and the Giants going just 9-13 so far and already falling seven games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Giants have an opportunity to flip the script when they being a series against the Dodgers Tuesday night.

Alex Cora, Boston Red Sox

During his tenure with the Red Sox, Cora has done plenty to earn respect. That includes a World Series title in 2018. The problem is that 2018 was a long time ago, and since 2021, Boston has only made the playoffs twice. Worse, at 9-13, it's been a bad start to 2026 with the team looking poorly coached. Much of the blame locally is on the front office and ownership, but Cora is possibly going to be wrapped up in all of that.

Boston is set to play the New York Yankees for three games. Just four games back, it could be a turning point for the Red Sox.

Carlos Mendoza, New York Mets

There was hope for the Mets coming into the season. A popular pick to win the NL East, the idea of a Mets pennant run was on the table. Instead, they've stumbled to a 7-15 record amid an 11-game losing steak that is the franchise's longest since 2024.

Naturally, the pressure is going to be on Mendoza, especially after missing the playoffs in 2025 courtesy of a significant second-half collapse.

The Mets will look to snap that losing streak on Tuesday when they begin a new series against the Minnesota Twins. As it stands now, New York doesn't have a game against an opponent with a winning record until May 8, a stretch the team badly needs to take advantage of.

Daniel Morrison

Dan Morrison is a writer originally from Massachusetts, now residing in Florida. He spent four years at On3, working on the National News Desk there. Prior to that, he’s also contributed at Underdog Dynasty.

More must-reads: