NBA star has the same defense of NY Mets manager Carlos Mendoza as Brandon Nimmo

Another season ends; finger-pointing begins. For the New York Mets, the curtain fell yesterday, and the frustration in Queens was instant. The mood isn’t just sour, it’s combustible. Fans want change, and Carlos Mendoza is the lightning rod. The volume around his future grows with every loss as disappointment fuels demands for accountability.

But the story isn’t as simple as the pitchfork crowd claims. Mendoza has defenders in and out of the clubhouse, and debate over his leadership has taken a life of its own. From respected veterans to unexpected voices, calls aren’t all one-sided. The final loss wasn’t just another defeat—it underscored the struggles both the team and Mendoza had to navigate.

The Mets collapse has fans pointing fingers, but the story isn’t one-sided

Donovan Mitchell didn’t suit up in orange and blue, but he leapt into the conversation. The NBA star and Mets fan countered criticism of Mendoza’s bullpen management on X: "Please don’t start this; we just went to the NLCS." His response was part exasperation, part loyalty, and a reminder that frustration can erase recent successes.

Inside the clubhouse, Brandon Nimmo was asked how much of the Mets’ mistakes fall on the coaches. His answer was straightforward: the coaches do what they do, but ultimately, the responsibility falls back on the players. It wasn’t a dismissal of the staff, but a recognition that execution belongs on the field, not the dugout.

Mets pitching woes left Carlos Mendoza with few reliable options to lean on

Yes, Mendoza made some questionable calls. There were nights when his bullpen usage seemed puzzling and moments when his decisions felt reactive instead of proactive. But the reality of the roster made every choice fraught. Since July 1, the Mets’ starting staff ranked 29th in MLB in innings pitched and 25th in ERA at 5.19, adding wear and tear on a bullpen already stretched thin. After the trade deadline on August 1, the bullpen ranked 19th in ERA at 4.18 while logging the third-highest number of innings pitched in baseball. For much of the year, arms came and went through a revolving door between AAA Syracuse, the DFA list, and the Mets, leaving Mendoza little consistency to rely on.

Even the greatest chef in the world can’t turn spoiled ingredients into a masterpiece. Mendoza made mistakes, no doubt, but when the rotation collapses, the bullpen falters, and dependable options are scarce, the results on the field are what they are. At some point, the players themselves must deliver, and that reality is often lost amid the heat of fan outrage.