SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 01: Manager Carlos Mendoza #64 of the New York Mets looks on before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 01, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

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The Philadelphia Phillies are entering another offseason with questions to answer after falling short of their championship aspirations.

While retaining Don Mattingly as manager provides some continuity heading into 2027, the organization has dramatically reshaped the coaching staff around him, including making surprising changes to two important positions.

The team replaced long-time hitting coach Kevin Long with Peter Fatse, and it also turned to a hated division rival’s castoff to replace the staple infield coach.

“The Phillies have hired former (New York) Mets manager Carlos Mendoza to serve as their infield coach and third base coach in 2027,” The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Lochlahn March reported last month. “Mendoza fills the role vacated by Bobby Dickerson, who was fired this week along with hitting coach Kevin Long, and will serve on manager Don Mattingly’s staff.”

The former Mets manager will be crossing the rivalry lines and taking on a challenging infield equation for the Phillies. And now he has shared some initial thoughts about his approach to the challenge.

Philadelphia Phillies Coach Carlos Mendoza Sends 4-Word Message After New York Mets Departure

After being let go by the Mets during this past season following a very disappointing start to the campaign, which ended in a second straight postseason miss, Mendoza offered some enthusiasm for his new opportunity with the Phillies.

“I’m ready to go,” the former Mets manager said this week, according to The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes.

Mendoza previously spent several seasons working within the Yankees organization before taking over the Mets ahead of the 2024 campaign and aside from his latest team’s struggles, he’s a well respected voice in baseball. And that will come in handy as the Phillies look to replace departing infield free agents, potentially including Alec Bohm, Luis Arraez and Edmundo Sosa, while getting more from franchise shortstop Trea Turner and promoting top prospect Aidan Miller.

New York Mets Castoff Carlos Mendoza Hints At Philadelphia Phillies Approach

Mendoza’s new assignment will put him in charge of working with Phillies infielders while also taking responsibility for coaching third base. That could be particularly important for a team looking to improve defensively after some difficult performances across its infield and Mendoza sounded confident in his approach.

“Everything is measured nowadays — whether it’s first step, reaction time, range, conversion, ball security,” Mendoza told Varnes. “There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes with numbers. But at the end of the day, players have got to be themselves, and they’ve got to be out there and trust their instincts.”

That philosophy could become an important part of Philadelphia’s preparations for 2027. With Mendoza now joining Mattingly’s staff, the Phillies will have a former division rival overseeing an area of the roster that needs attention as they attempt to return to contention.