Mets Say 48-Year-Old Andy Green Will Return to Front Office After 2026 Season

Q: Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols wants the job. Is he the answer to the Mets' leadership crisis?

Albert Pujols is an intriguing candidate, but he is not a clear fix for the Mets’ leadership crisis. His case is real. Pujols has publicly said he wants the job, he has recent managerial success in the Dominican Winter League and the Caribbean Series, and he managed the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He also brings instant credibility as a future Hall of Famer and reportedly has a strong relationship with Juan Soto, which matters in a clubhouse that needs stability and buy-in. But the Mets’ problems are bigger than the manager’s office. Carlos Mendoza was fired after a lifeless stretch, yet players themselves said they failed him. The roster has underperformed across the board despite one of baseball’s highest payrolls. Injuries, poor starting pitching, defensive mistakes, and inconsistent offense have all contributed. That makes this as much a front-office and roster-construction issue as a dugout issue. That is why Pujols would be a gamble. He has never managed in the major leagues, and the Mets are coming off a disappointing run under another first-time MLB manager. David Stearns has already said the club will conduct a full offseason search, suggesting the Mets want a broad, deliberate process rather than a splash hire. Pujols should be taken seriously and likely deserves an interview. But if the Mets want the safest answer to a crisis on a high-pressure, high-payroll team, a more experienced major league manager may be the more practical choice.

3 articles · Updated · MLB Trade Rumors · Jun 27

David Stearns said Andy Green’s interim stint will end after the 2026 season, with the 48-year-old returning to his senior vice president of player development role rather than competing for the permanent job.
Friday’s announcement came hours after the Mets fired Carlos Mendoza and installed Green, who is back in an MLB dugout for the first time in seven years after previously managing San Diego from 2016 to 2019.
Green opened 0-1 as New York lost 2-1 to Philadelphia for its seventh straight defeat, falling to a season-worst 14 games under .500 with only the Rockies and Giants worse in the NL.
Stearns, under contract through 2028 and widely seen as backed by owner Steve Cohen, is expected to run a full managerial search in the offseason.
Albert Pujols has already expressed interest in the opening, though the former star has no MLB managerial experience despite managing in the Dominican Winter League and the 2026 World Baseball Classic.