'What a story': How Mendoza trusted his gut on Mets' run to NLCS

NEW YORK — In the sixth inning of Game 3 of the National League Division Series between the Mets and Phillies, Shawn Mania — ever so sharply — lost his control. Manaea walked Kyle Schwarber. He walked Trey Turner. He suddenly had two men on base and no outs in a two-run game. At 74 pitches, Mania was going to see Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos for the third time.

The modern postseason strategy dictated an easy decision for manager Carlos Mendoza, whose hard-throwing reliever Reed Garrett was poised to move to the bullpen. Mendoza's bench coach, John Gibbons — himself a veteran playoff boss — advised Mendoza to step in for Garrett. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner agrees. But Mendoza jumped at the conclusion. He liked the Mania matchup at Harper. He trusted Mania, who was his best pitcher throughout the second half of the season.

He also knew that if he stuck with Mania and the Mets lost the game, he would have to answer to president of baseball operations David Stearns, as well as players, media and upset fans in the clubhouse.

Going with Garrett would be the safe choice. Something about the situation told Mendoza to reverse. Go with his gut.

“I gambled,” Mendoza said. “And I'm glad it worked.”

Manea struck out Harper and induced a double play from Castellanos to escape the jam. The Mets won Game 3 in a rout, took Game 4 and qualified for the NL Championship Series starting Sunday in Los Angeles. And Mendoza? Mendoza will be looking to carry his instincts into the World Series, where he will have a chance to become the sixth rookie manager to win a title.

He is already one of only 16 rookie captains to reach the LCS.

“It's a testament to Carlos — a guy who's calm, cool, collected in pressure situations, makes the right calls, makes the right moves,” said Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who coached Mendoza from 2018-23. .

These days, there's a perception around Major League Baseball that off-field decisions are increasingly made by members of the front office. Games that are scripted. Managers who are in the dugout to follow orders, don't deliver.

Mendoza can be as analytically inclined as any manager in baseball, aware of the numbers and willing to make daily decisions based on them. But he's also comfortable turning his back on them if he feels the situation warrants it, and Stearns has empowered him to do so.

This tendency first manifested itself during a game against the Royals on April 14, when Mendoza lost platoon advantage by allowing Harrison Bader to hit against right-handed reliever Chris Stratton. Instead of turning to lefty pinch-hitter DJ Stewart in the eighth inning of a tied game, Mendoza opted for the more contact-oriented Bader, who proved it by slapping an RBI single, advancing his manager. A night later, under similar circumstances, Mendoza pinch hit Stewart for Tyrone Taylor. The resulting RBI double tied the game for the Mets.

These are just two examples of moves that have worked, and Mendoza will be the first to do what others haven't. Like all managers, he has come under fire at times for his bullpen management. Critics have scoffed at his lineup construction. As recently as NLDS Game 4, Mendoza absorbed criticism for bringing in Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning of a three-run game when David Peterson was cruising. His argument? Diaz needs to pitch, comfortable given his recent struggles. In the near end he nailed down the three outs needed.

“He was great with all of us,” Diaz said. “Everyone respects him a lot, how everything is handled here. We didn't start the season the way everyone wanted, but he stuck with us. He believed in us. He allowed us to continue playing, and now it's paying off. I think Mendy deserves a lot of credit for that.

All season, Mendoza has displayed uncommon knowledge for a rookie manager — from his decision to move Francisco Lindor to the leadoff spot in May, for example, to his understanding of clubhouse culture. Mendoza usually gets out in front of problems, calling the players into his office before explaining his potential decisions. He is also willing to lead his players, as during the now-famous meeting that advanced New York's position.

“Mendy probably should have gotten a better job earlier,” Stearns said recently. “We're very lucky he didn't.”

For Mendoza, already well on his way to becoming a baseball lifer at age 44, this responsibility has been a long time coming. His ability to succeed right away is a testament to the character traits that prompted his old boss, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, to call him “the real deal.”

It's a deeply personal charge for Mendoza, whose loved ones have rallied around him. A few years ago, Mendoza's wife Francis gave up her new career as a dentist so the family could be together while her husband pursued his dream in the U.S. Perhaps somewhere in the back of their minds, they both envisioned the scene that unfolded Wednesday at Citi Field, where Francis, their child And Mendoza's parents — fresh off a flight from Venezuela — hugged each other on the infield grass.

“It's amazing, man,” Mendoza said after posing for a photo with the group. “Nobody was anywhere near us at this point. … what a story.”