Mets' Carlos Mendoza sends message amid final week of regular season

With just six games remaining, the New York Mets manager has a blunt message for his team.

Aug 20, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) stands in the dugout before a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The 2025 season has not gone the way the New York Mets would have expected.

Following an offseason that saw superstar Juan Soto join a lineup that caught fire late in 2024 to propel the Mets to the NLCS, hopes were high that the club would at least reach the same heights—if not greater.

Things looked good early, as the Mets rode hot starts from their new-look starting rotation and franchise cornerstones Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso. At the trade deadline, the Mets were 62-47 and aggressively pursued bullpen reinforcements, adding Cedric Mullins to the outfield.

Read More: Mets no longer in control of playoff destiny after demoralizing loss

New York has gone 18-29 since then, and with its loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday, no longer controls its own destiny for the final NL wild-card spot.

There's no sugarcoating just how disappointing the Mets’ late-season slide has been. A team that positioned itself for a deep postseason run through a series of costly offseason and midseason acquisitions is now on the outside looking in.

Carlos Mendoza's message for the Mets

With that said, all hope is not lost. The situation has certainly tightened up for Carlos Mendoza and his club, but in some ways, the mission has become simpler.

In an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast, Mendoza spoke about the straightforward mindset his team is using to approach the final week of the season:

"For me and for all of us here, it's win today."

Carlos Mendoza, with less than a week to play in the regular season: "For me and for all of us here, it's WIN TODAY." pic.twitter.com/Ut3dzsinnm

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) September 23, 2025

While that’s seemingly easier said than done for the Mets as of late, Mendoza's message gives insight into the present reality of a team that no longer controls its fate. While clinging to the final wild-card spot, New York had its eyes on the trailing Cincinnati Reds (now in a playoff position), Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Francisco Giants and their remaining schedules. Now, tied with Cincinnati but without the tiebreaker, nothing else matters if the Mets can't get wins.

Read More: New York Mets star reflects on potential final game at Citi Field

They will end the season on the road, traveling to play the Chicago Cubs, who have already locked up a playoff spot, and the Miami Marlins, who will look to spoil the season of their divisional foe. Mendoza spoke about these two opposing circumstances and the different challenges they present.

"They're both tough," Mendoza established. "Not only when you're playing teams that are out of it, but you're playing a team like the Cubs that may not push their starters, and they might go bullpen. It's a completely game, but at the end of the day you have to be ready for everything that they can throw at you and control the things that you can control."

Adding to the unique game plan details, Mendoza noted the simple fact that they “didn't play well against Miami a couple of weeks ago,” when the club dropped three of four to the Marlins to end August.

The circumstances are dire for the Mets. They are just a few bad games away from completing a devastating collapse that would likely result in serious organizational change in the offseason. But as Mendoza asserted on Tuesday, they have the opportunity to make things right by doing one thing: winning.