The start of the MLB season is the riskiest time for managers. If teams perform poorly early on, this may indicate the need for change (although there may not actually be any change in the first place). It often feels better to weather the storm and wait for sunny days. This may be difficult for front offices to do when they feel the pressure from fans to win is increasing.
Over the past week, that's been the case for two of MLB's most respected managers. Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox and Rob Thomson of the Philadelphia Phillies were let go this week as part of both teams' restructuring. The Sox (12-17) and Phillies (10-19) have had rough starts to the 2026 season.
The front offices of each decided a change was needed, and they did. Former manager Chad Tracy of Triple-A Worcester stepped in as interim manager for Boston and former bench coach Don Mattingly did the same for Philly. Each has made a good start, although it is still in doubt whether it was really due to their presence or not.
But recent shootings have left other clubs even more worried. Struggling teams may see that other clubs have let their managers go and do the same in an effort to improve. It is often the case that a slow start is not due to the manager, but rather the team needs someone to blame for poor play. This often leads to the captain being dismissed.
When the question is asked who might be the next manager to be canned, it is difficult to say for sure. The truth is, it's impossible to tell whether the front office will wait for this or not. That being said, these two seem especially close to being let go.
Joe Espada, Houston Astros
I know, not the name you expect to see. But it's been tough for Houston. Despite possibly the best offense in the league, the Astros have been off to a very poor start. The club is in last place in the American League West with an 11–19 record.
This is, in large part, due to a number of injuries that have left the roster bankrupt. Houston has 15 players on the injured list, including Jeremy Pena, Joey Loperfido, Jake Meyers, Hunter Brown, Tatsuya Imai, Josh Hader and Nate Pearson. they are Big The team's contributors are completely missing.
Is that the Espada's fault? no it's not. There's nothing a team can do to prepare for the myriad of injuries that come with a season. It's just a part of the game of baseball. But Espada's flaws lie in his management of the team after he's healthy, not in his injuries.
Espada has shown a lack of good decision making during critical game situations. Their bullpen management has been terrible, giving up games in high-leverage moments. And, on top of that, their lineup construction has never been particularly solid.
Espada has never proven himself to be able to guide Houston well. Outside of a talented roster and what he would do if someone were to coach him, Espada has yet to find true success as a manager. And that really hurts his case to stay with the Astros if he doesn't improve on his season.
Carlos Mendoza, New York Mets
It's big here. There was increased speculation about Mendoza after Cora's dismissal, and now there is even more speculation after Thomson's dismissal. The Mets have had a historically terrible start to 2026, finishing in last place in the National League East after a 12-game losing streak.
That disappointing streak finally ended last week, but shortly thereafter the Colorado Rockies took over the club. New York fans are already thinking about other options to manage their star-studded team.
But the problems started last year with the historic collapse of the '25 Mets. After having the best record in baseball through half of the season, New York missed the postseason in a tiebreaker with the Cincinnati Reds. Absent in the postseason, the front office became aggressive in rebuilding the roster this offseason, adding Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Luis Robert Jr. and Marcus Semien.
Despite this, New York has struggled to reach its final position. And no part of the club is looking good. The offensive line has struggled due to injuries to its stars, the pitching (except for Navy man Nolan McLean) is floundering and the bullpen has lost games every other night.
It's unclear what's needed to right the ship, and it looks like Mendoza's job is safe for now. The front office seems more suited to playing it out than firing the captain outright. But this does not mean that he is completely safe. If the Mets can't turn it around — and soon — Mendoza will be looking for a job soon.
