The New York Mets will be taking a different approach to pitching in 2026, with signs coming from the dugout. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said “the buy-in” to the idea has been “really good.”
“We’re working through it,” Mendoza said Thursday, per ESPN’s Jorge Castillo and Alden Gonzalez. “… It’s new for a lot of people here. We’ve done it with [minor league pitchers].”
Added Mendoza: “I don’t think we’re going to call every pitch, but we’re kind of working through some scenarios where if [pitchers] need help, we’ll be ready.”
The Miami Marlins were the first organization to introduce the idea into their minor league ranks. The Marlins used this system in the majors at the tail end of last season and will use it for all of 2026.
The Colorado Rockies have also floated the idea of calling pitches from their dugout.
Carlos Mendoza says the Mets are not doing what the Marlins are doing
Compared to the Marlins, whose coaches will call every pitch from the dugout, Mendoza made it clear that’s not how the Mets will do it. Instead, Mendoza is putting more faith in his catchers — Francisco Alvarez (day-to-day) and Luis Torrens — to have a “feel for the game.”
“They’ve got to be able to make adjustments,” Mendoza said.
In the Mets’ case, former major league catcher J.P. Arencibia, the team’s catching coach, will be “suggesting” what pitches should be thrown, with the catcher ultimately deciding if it’s the right call.
One exception to the new system is right-hander Freddy Peralta, an eight-year veteran and the team’s ace. He will call his own game.
Potential problems with calling pitches from the dugout
One potential problem that may arise with another voice added is pitch-clock violations. The new system could take more time for pitch calls. There was a total of 465 pitch-clock violations in 2025, with the Los Angeles Dodgers leading with 26.
Another issue, and probably the most concerning, is the coaching staff not having a feel for the game. Former big-league catcher A.J. Pierzynski made that point on a recent episode of the “Foul Territory” podcast.
“Can you call a game and get the most out of your pitchers?” Pierzynski said. “The coach in the dugout does not know what the pitcher has that day. The catcher with experience that watches his pitcher can tell how a hitter reacts sitting over in the dugout.”
On the podcast, ex-MLB catcher Erik Kratz echoed Pierzynski’s sentiments.
“That is not the recipe for success for a team to grow and build,” he said. “You need to let your catchers, who are going to be catchers in the big leagues, learn how to call a game.”