Seven candidates for Mets next manager after Carlos Mendoza firing

Change is afoot in Flushing.

On Friday, the Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza after 2 1/2 seasons with the team.

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He had the Mets sitting at the bottom of the NL East with a 34-47 record despite a $320-plus million roster at his disposal.

The Met’s have appointed Andy Green as the interim manager. The 48-year-old held the role of senior vice president, baseball development, and will get a chance to salvage this Mets season in the second half — but president of baseball operations David Stearns on Friday said Green will return to the front office at season’s end.

Here is a look at the long-term candidates who will likely be on the short list to replace Mendoza, according to The Post’s Joel Sherman, Jon Heyman and Mike Puma.

Alex Cora

Cora could be looking for a new job after being fired from the Red Sox managerial role in April. Cora managed the Red Sox to a World Series in 2018, but was let go after Boston was 10-17 to start the season.

J.D. Martinez

The former Mets slugger was named a special assistant to baseball operations in March. The 38-year-old was a key member of the “OMG” Mets and was seen in the dugout talking with Francisco Lindor just this week. Several players Martinez mentored are still on the team and the 38-year-old could be in line to continue that stewardship much more closely.

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Carlos Beltran

The National Baseball Hall of Fame member has no prior managerial experience, but he was hired by the Mets in 2019. They mutually agreed to part ways before he ever managed a game, though, after he was prominently implicated in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Beltran serves as a special assistant to Stearns in the Mets front office now.

George Lombard

Lombard, the Tigers bench coach under AJ Hinch, he has been moving up the coaching ranks since 2010, most notably making three World Series appearances as the Dodgers’ first-base coach.

Walker McKinven

McKinven has a relationship with Stearns from his time with the Brewers, and has worked his way up the White Sox system to bench coach.

Rob Thomson

Another recently fired manager to note is Thomson, previously of the Phillies. He was fired in April after starting 9-19 with a $300-plus million payroll, despite being their best manager since 1900 in winning percentage (.568). He has been in baseball for over 40 years, working his way up the Yankees’ system from third base coach for the team’s Class A affiliate in 1990 to bench coach in 2015.

Dick Scott

The Mets could call up Triple-A Syracuse Mets manager Dick Scott. He has worked multiple roles for the franchise, including field coordinator of instruction, bench coach and director of player development.  

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