NEW YORK – Right-hander Christian Scott had a smile on his face when he talked about Mets interim manager Andy Green.
Scott, who is on the 15-day injured list because of right hip impingement, sounded like a man who couldn't wait to throw for his new skipper, which is expected to be Saturday against the Phillies.
There is a relationship between the two men. When Scott was in the Minor Leagues in 2024 and ‘25, Green was Mets’ senior vice president of player development. Green’s role changed Friday when he was named to replace Carlos Mendoza in the dugout.
“Andy is the man,” Scott said. “He was great when I was coming up. He has a lot of experience being a manager, player and has worked in the front office. He understands the aspects of the game that have been going on. He instilled that experience into the younger guys, especially in 2024 and ‘25. He encouraged me to be myself, not be anything different. He is great. I’m excited for us. I know he is going to help us win.”
After learning that he would be leading the 2026 Mets, Green texted his predecessor.
“I said the thing I think is the highest compliment in baseball that I hope people say about me when it’s all said and done,” Green pointed out. “[I said], ‘You are a good man who cares about people and puts the organization first.’ I think those things are real to him.
“[Mendoza] had enough character and integrity to tell the guy who is sitting in his seat right now, ‘Thank you for everything.’ He felt like a teammate the first day until today. He is someone who will land on his feet in an impactful way in another organization at some point in time.”
Green’s first game was a close one, but the Mets ended up on the losing end as the Phillies won, 2-1.
The game was tied at 1 when Philadelphia took the lead in the seventh against reliever Huascar Brazobán. With runners on first and second and two outs, Trea Turner singled to left field, scoring Derek Hill.
Despite the loss, there were some positives to focus on. For starters, left-hander Zach Thornton, making only his second Major League start, was dealing, allowing one run in six innings and striking out seven batters.
His only blemish occurred in the first inning when Turner scored on a single by Bryce Harper. After that, Thornton allowed just two hits.
Jared Young has been a blessing every time he is in the lineup. He drove in the only run for New York when he singled off Zack Wheeler in the fourth to drive in Bo Bichette and made several standout defensive plays, including an unassisted double play in the third.
Wheeler was also dealing for Philly, lasting seven innings and allowing one run on four hits.
Green, 48, previously managed the Padres from 2016-19, producing a losing record in all four of his seasons before being dismissed in September of his final season. He has spent the past three years leading the Mets’ player development department, which has produced players such as Nolan McLean and Carson Benge.
The Mets have underperformed entering Friday’s action, going 34-47. David Stearns, the Mets’ president of baseball operations, acknowledged that Green’s presence alone cannot turn the season around.
“I understand there’s no magic bullet here, there’s no one change that’s immediately going to turn this around,” Stearns said. “This is incremental, this is day to day, this is doing the work every single day to get us back on track. I’ve asked [Green] to help us with that work for the remainder of the season. He’ll be our interim manager through the rest of the season, and at that point we’ll conduct a full managerial search.
“I think Andy’s got a wealth of experience to help us in this role in a variety of different positions. His familiarity with our players … and our processes will help and he’s going to provide a fresh perspective, new eyes and some new thoughts.”
Green acknowledged he loved his role in the Minor Leagues before becoming manager. Now he will get to lead the players he helped develop like Benge and A.J. Ewing. He now feels has a responsibility to turn the season around.
“[The Minor Leagues] is a really special place to be where you get the opportunity to help launch people towards their dream, and to see A.J. Ewing as a kid in A ball makes his way across the board to the big leagues, that ‘s freaking fun. It’s life-giving,” Green said. “… And then you watch Carson Benge tear across. You fall in love with the way Nolan McLean competes. You fall in love with some people before the city falls in love with them. I love that.
“[Managing the Mets] felt like a responsibility more than an opportunity. Once it was made known to me that there was nothing that was going to change … I genuinely believe, given my life experience, I was best positioned to help [manage the team] over the next three months and see what we can get done as a group. I wasn’t, ‘I can’t wait to sit in this seat again.’ Because of that, I’m probably better positioned than I was when I was dying to sit in it at 37 years old when I was interviewing all over the place.”