Mets dismiss – With the Mets’ losing streak still smoldering, the team dismissed Carlos Mendoza and named Andy Green interim manager. Tonight at Citi Field, Zach Wheeler (7-1, 2.11 ERA) faces Zach Thornton as the Mets try to stop spiraling—after unearned runs and another ext
For a second straight game. the Mets looked like they had a shot—right up until the sixth inning when fielding mistakes turned into three unearned runs. They clawed back to make it 3-3 and pushed the game into extras, but the damage was already done. The Cubs scored in the 10th, and the Mets couldn’t get anything going in the bottom of the frame.
By the time Friday morning arrived, the mood had hardened into something else. The Mets dismissed Carlos Mendoza and appointed Andy Green as the interim manager for the rest of the season. Green will return to his role in player development once the season concludes. and he’ll only finish out the year as interim.
Tonight’s game is supposed to be a reset—though the Phillies arrive with the kind of momentum that doesn’t care about your calendar. The Phillies have hit go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning three games in a row, and the emotion in Queens has been swinging hard toward Philadelphia.
The Mets open the night at Citi Field in Flushing, New York, with first pitch set for 7:10 PM, and they’ll start Zach Thornton (0-1, 8.31) in the spot created by the team’s recent moves. Thornton makes his second major league start tonight.
His first came near the end of May against the Nationals. when he allowed four runs on four hits over 4 1/3 innings. Since then, he’s pitched in five games, including four starts in the minors. In two of those minor starts, he allowed a combined 11 runs over 8 1/3 innings. In the other two, he allowed two runs over nine innings. With the David Peterson trade and Kodai Senga moving to the bullpen. Thornton may get a real look at the major league level.
Across the matchup is Zack Wheeler (7-1, 2.11), who has been steady all season. In 11 starts totaling 68 1/3 innings, Wheeler owns a 2.11 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 0.878 WHIP, and a 209 ERA+. June hasn’t made him unbeatable. but it’s been productive: five runs off three home runs over 24 2/3 innings (1.82 ERA. 3.55 FIP). He also made a start last week against the Mets, allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings while striking out seven.
The Mets’ lineup for tonight puts together a mix of established stars and pieces fighting for their moment: Carson Benge in right field. Juan Soto in left field. Bo Bichette as the designated hitter. Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Jared Young at first base. A.J. Ewing in center field, Ronny Mauricio at second base, Brett Baty at third base, and Luis Torrens behind the plate.
Thornton’s task is made harder by what Green inherits from the Mets’ recent defensive habits. Prior to Friday’s game, the Mets reinstated Tyrone Taylor from the 10-day injured list and officially recalled Thornton. To make room for those moves, the Mets optioned Daniel Duarte and MJ Melendez to Triple-A Syracuse.
In the dugout. though. the attention keeps drifting back to the kind of damage that doesn’t show up cleanly in the box score. Fielding errors have led to eight unearned runs over the last two games: five unearned runs on Wednesday night in a 10-5 loss. and three unearned runs Thursday night in a 4-3 loss.
When unearned runs pile up like that, it’s not just about pitchers needing run support—it’s about the trust between the staff and the glove work behind them. At some point, pitchers will start to lose faith in the defense behind them.
The Phillies, meanwhile, come with names that can punish any mistake. Their lineup tonight features Trea Turner at shortstop. Kyle Schwarber as the designated hitter. Bryce Harper at first base. Alec Bohm at third base. Brandon Marsh in right field. Derek Hill in center field. J.T. Realmuto behind the plate, Bryson Stott at second base, and Edmundo Sosa in left field.
Tonight also brings an important, personal wrinkle: the Mets’ career numbers against Wheeler. Francisco Alvarez is 0-6 with 3 strikeouts. Brett Baty is 4-14 with a home run and 3 strikeouts. Carson Benge is 1-2 with a home run, a walk, and a strikeout. Bo Bichette is 3-14 with 4 strikeouts. A.J. Ewing is 1-3. Francisco Lindor is 9-36 with 2 doubles, 3 triples, a home run, 2 walks, and 8 strikeouts. Ronny Mauricio is 1-3 with a strikeout. Juan Soto is 15-56 with 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 17 walks, and 16 strikeouts. Luis Torrens is 1-4 with a strikeout. Mark Vientos is 4-12 with 2 doubles and 4 strikeouts.
Then there are the smaller entries that still matter in at-bats: Eric Wagaman is 1-3 with a home run and fewer than 2 strikeouts. Luke Weaver is 1-2 with a strikeout. Jared Young is 2-4 with a walk and 2 strikeouts.
For Jared Young, this night also carries a thin line between frustration and momentum. Young had been one of the best hitters on the Mets for a stretch that didn’t last. Starting on June 12, he went 2-for-25 over eight games, slashing .080/.115/.195. But in his last three games. he’s gone 2-for-5 with two home runs—one as a starter and the other as a pinch hitter. Whether this becomes the next hot streak, or just a brief flare, could show up quickly.
Playing time is another question hanging over the lineup like a weather system. The Mets are easing Lindor back in. Soto likely needs time at DH with his back. Mauricio is playing shortstop when Lindor is not. Vientos is playing first base but is massively struggling defensively. Alvarez has one of the hottest bats on the team, but he can’t take too much catching work.
With Soto, Vientos, Alvarez, Lindor, and Mauricio all on the table, the Mets have a cluster of players who would benefit from significant time at DH.
And that’s the through-line tonight: the Mets need more than a win. After what happened in back-to-back games—unearned runs mounting. the bullpen and the lineup pushed into extra innings. and the season vibe sliding toward its lowest point—everything will be tested against a Phillies team that’s been producing go-ahead ninth-inning swings.
When the first pitch drops at 7:10 PM at Citi Field, the question won’t be whether the Mets can hang with Philadelphia. It’ll be whether they can keep the game clean enough to let their talent do the talking—before the next small mistake becomes the whole story again.
Mets Phillies Carlos Mendoza Andy Green Zach Wheeler Zach Thornton Citi Field unearned runs fielding errors Jared Young Tyrone Taylor David Peterson trade Kodai Senga bullpen