New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza defended his rightfielder, Juan Soto, during Monday night’s game, earning an ejection. When the temperature rises during the MLB season, so do the stakes. Teams that entertain notions of a long postseason run will compete in every aspect of the field. With every play seemingly making a difference, managers will support their team, having their backs.
NY Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza Details Scenario Around His Ejection
Amid a six-game West Coast road trip, the Mets wanted to distance themselves from the Philadelphia Phillies. Separated by 1.5 games, New York found themselves in San Diego on Monday night.
Facing a potential trade target, right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease, Soto stepped to the plate in the third inning. With shortstop Francisco Lindor on second and one out, with the count sitting at 2-1, the situation unraveled. Cease threw a looping curveball that looked like it landed outside the strike zone. If the strike box used on television is accurate, that pitch was not a strike.
At that point, Soto became increasingly irritated, conversing with umpire Emil Jimenez. On the next pitch, Soto watched a similar bender caught the corner, and Jimenez rang him up. Soto, who isn’t known for an emotional approach, started to argue with the umpire. Mendoza ran out of the dugout, separating his player from the umpire. Then, he brought a back-and-forth with Jimenez.
Following that, the umpire ejected Mendoza. Bench coach John Gibbons took over as manager for the duration of the game. Afterward, Mendoza discussed the ejection and how tough of a night his player had.
“He had a rough night, there’s no way to sugarcoat it”
– Carlos Mendoza on home-plate umpire Emil Jimenez pic.twitter.com/E4lqt6kVxv
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 29, 2025
“I got to be the one getting thrown out. I can’t afford it, whether it’s Soto or any of our players. I knew from the very beginning, after a couple of calls early in the game, that I needed to be on top of it.
“He had a rough night; there’s no way to sugarcoat it there. Especially when you’re talking about a couple of at-bats there from Soto, some key at-bats. You’re talking about one of the best hitters in the game; you’re taking the bat away from him.”
Soto did not have a great night at the plate. You rarely see someone who leads the National League in walks (84) strike out three times in a game. While the disputed strike call did not look like it touched the zone, strike three painted the corner. Soto stranded three runners on base during the game, as the Mets lost to the Padres, 7-6.
Will Soto become more aggressive at the plate as a result of the three-strikeout night, or will it remain a minor incident?