NEW YORK — When DJ Stewart, the final player to make the New York Mets’ initial roster, carried the weight of underperforming with him everywhere he went for the first few weeks of the season, manager Carlos Mendoza sensed the stress.
So, in the tunnel, on the field, in the clubhouse, wherever Mendoza spotted Stewart, he’d tell him, “Smile.”
One day last week during batting practice in Atlanta, Mendoza and Stewart chatted about how Stewart was handling his struggles. Things hadn’t gone well. Through his first 12 at-bats, Stewart had failed to record a hit. He was stressed about his spot on the roster and whether his family would have to move. Mendoza listened to the concerns and then offered some simple advice.
“Just have fun,” Mendoza told him. “Trust what you’re doing. Try to enjoy the time.”
Afterward, Stewart hit a home run in Atlanta to break out of his slump. As soon as Stewart returned to the dugout following his trot around the bases, Mendoza met him near the steps with a joke.
“Smile,” Mendoza told him.
After losing five straight to open the season, the Mets (8-8) have rallied to .500. Monday, New York pulled off a come-from-behind win, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3. Though there’s still plenty to learn about Mendoza, early on, the first-year manager has shown steadiness off the field, aggressiveness on the field and plenty of perceptiveness all around.
Mendoza has displayed good touch.
In the sixth inning with Pirates right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton on the mound, two runners on and the Mets trailing 3-2, Mendoza called on Stewart, a left-handed batter, to pinch hit for Tyrone Taylor. Earlier in the day, Mendoza had reminded Stewart to be ready for such a situation. It was early, and though the Pirates had lefty Aroldis Chapman available later, Mendoza saw Chapman as platoon-neutral so he went ahead with Stewart. On the first pitch, Stewart hit a double to tie it at 3.
DJ ties this one up 💪 pic.twitter.com/qbxT5QGum8
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 16, 2024
“That was the game for me right there,” Mendoza said.
The day before, Stewart stayed on the bench in a similar situation. Mendoza eschewed a better matchup and went with a gut instinct. Instead of using Stewart against a right-handed pitcher in the eighth inning with the Mets trailing by two Sunday, Mendoza stuck with right-handed batter Harrison Bader, who typically bats ninth.
In spring training, Mendoza made it clear there would be times when he would go with his gut. In those instances, a lot goes into his decision-making process.
“The game is going to tell you what you’re going to do,” Mendoza said. “The matchup on paper is probably an easy decision there: You use the lefty, Stewart. But for me, in that situation, bases loaded, two outs, you have a guy that’s throwing 92 to 93 (mph) two-seam, I like my chances with Bader putting the ball in play. Now, less than two outs, it was probably a matchup for Stewart with the double play in order.
“It worked yesterday. Not all the time it’s going to work. But yesterday was one of those where I had to make a decision, and it wasn’t necessarily what the matchup said at the time. It might be a different story today. They have a few guys in the bullpen who are tough on righties. Depending on the situation, I am going to have to make those decisions. And this is something that I’ll communicate with the players.”
Indeed, it was a different story, but one with the same result.
Then, in the eighth inning Monday, Mendoza called for a double steal, a move that took the Pirates by surprise and positioned the Mets for a win. With one out, Stewart was on first base and Jeff McNeil was occupying second. Neither offers much speed. No matter. Both players reached safely without a throw — the Pirates’ infield barely moved. Bader, the batter at the plate during the double steal, then hit a two-run double to put the Mets ahead.
In the dugout, players noticed Mendoza got fired up.
“He was excited about that steal,” McNeil said.
The Mets’ veterans inside a mostly experienced clubhouse say it’s up to them to do their respective parts, play better and keep the energy up. Still, even if it’s not a huge factor in wins and losses, it’s a nice plus, some players said, to see the emotion from the manager. What’s more important to them, though, is how they are treated and how they are communicated with.
To that end, players have liked Mendoza’s style. The relievers say he has managed rest days well and has been good about communicating usage. The position players say they have an expectation of when he might pinch hit, and there’s an inherent understanding to be ready.
Mendoza doesn’t dig team meetings. He prefers to deliver messages on a more personal level. So the Mets didn’t have a closed-door gathering after an 0-5 start. Mendoza thought it was too early for that. So as the Mets crept closer to .500, some veterans swore they didn’t realize that to be the case; they took things one game at a time. It was something Mendoza had preached. Despite the pressure building from the outside after a terrible start, Mendoza stayed calm.
Not all of Mendoza’s moves are going to work. Some will backfire. But he’s using information and intuition. He’s trusting his coaching staff and his players. And he’s sending a message that his club is seemingly buying into.
“He’s doing a great job of keeping the clubhouse loose, keeping guys who are struggling loose,” Stewart said, “and helping them be ready for the opportunity.”
Recently, it’s led to a lot more smiles.
(Photo: Jeff Dean / Associated Press)