What Carlos Mendoza must do in the Mets’ final 10 games

The Mets are currently trying to hold onto the NL's final Wild Card spot, and need to see manager Carlos Mendoza's moves live up to the moment.

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 New York Mets have just 10 games left in the regular season and are trying to cling to the final playoff spot in the National League. Entering Thursday's series finale against the San Diego Padres, the Mets are 1.5 games up on the Arizona Diamondbacks for the last Wild Card spot, while the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants sit two games back.

An updated look at the NL Wild Card standings: pic.twitter.com/hJooBMk8IY

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) September 18, 2025

The Mets were unable to expand their lead on Arizona last night after David Peterson had a tough day at the office, struggling to get through five innings and giving up a crushing grand slam to Manny Machado that put San Diego up 6-2. That big blow proved to be the difference and was largely preventable with a bullpen with two full days of rest.

MANNY MACHADO THE MAN THAT YOU ARE pic.twitter.com/BqaEeIZoH8

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 18, 2025

Peterson had been struggling with his command all night and the Mets managed to overcome an early deficit to tie the Padres at 2 after four innings. Manager Carlos Mendoza decided to try and squeeze a fifth inning out of Peterson and the move backfired horribly, which cost the Mets a winnable game when there isn't much real estate left to protect their slim lead in the standings.

Read More: Where the Mets stand in postseason tiebreaker scenarios

San Diego starter Nick Pivetta also struggled last night, but Padres' skipper Mike Shildt went to his bullpen when he ran into trouble in the fifth inning, preventing the Mets from answering the Machado grand slam with a big inning of their own. Padres relievers allowed just one run on two hits while walking two over the final 4.1 innings of the game to seal the victory.

Carlos Mendoza Needs To Manage The Last 10 Games More Aggressively

While Shildt played like his team's playoff lives were on the line, Mendoza managed Wednesday's game like it was the middle of June and he was trying to allow Peterson to simply get going again. Allowing Peterson to face Machado with the bases loaded was a very bold choice that backfired at a time when the Mets simply cannot afford to let games get away from them due to poor tactical decisions.

Mendoza also avoided using his team's best relievers, opting to try and navigate the middle innings with the since-DFA'd Dom Hamel, Gregory Soto, Ryan Helsley and Ryne Stanek. Using the team's best relievers could have allowed the Mets to potentially keep the game close, especially after Francisco Alvarez's seventh-inning homer cut the deficit to 2, but Stanek gave up a big home run to Ramon Laureano in the top of the ninth that extended San Diego's lead to three runs.

That one got out of here in a HURRY. pic.twitter.com/IzfOpo5YMe

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 18, 2025

Allowing Peterson to get to face Machado with the bases loaded and avoiding the circle of trust in the bullpen with just 11 games to go made no sense, since the Mets need as many wins as possible to get into the postseason. There was no reason not to act more aggressively last night, especially with an entire fully-rested bullpen, and if the Mets were able to get out of the fifth without surrendering a grand slam the whole game could have ended differently.

Throughout the past few months, Mendoza hasn't acted aggressively enough in games, often being willing to forego the game in front of him if it means the Mets have a better chance over the next few days. The Mets are running out of days, however, so they need their manager to act like these next 10 games are playoff games to try to not only punch their ticket to October, but avoid one of the most disappointing collapses in baseball history.