KANSAS CITY, MO - OCTOBER 26: Jessica Mendoza of ESPN speaks on set the day before Game 1 of the 2015 World Series between the Royals and Mets at Kauffman Stadium on October 26, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri.
(Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images)

Jessica Mendoza will be stepping down from her role in the New York Mets front office due to a number of reasons that don’t really add up. 

In 2018, the New York Mets took an important step. They hired ESPN analyst Jessica Mendoza as an advisor for the front office and it was the first time the Mets had hired a woman to such a role.

The fact it was a trailblazing woman like Mendoza only made it better. Mendoza holds a number of records. She’s the first woman to call a nationally televised baseball game, the first woman to call a baseball game on ESPN, and the first woman to call a postseason game.

She was a shining star to women everywhere that they have a place in the world of baseball. That’s all coming crashing down. On Friday, ESPN confirmed what was reported a few weeks ago, Jessica Mendoza will be moved off of “Sunday Night Baseball.”

That’s not the only thing she lost, she’ll also resign as an advisor with the Mets. New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen released a statement on Mendoza’s resignation.

“We have enjoyed our relationship with Jessica and appreciated all her contributions and insight over the past year,” Van Wagenen said. “We are excited for her expanded role at ESPN and fully understand and support her need to fully invest her time in all the new platforms. We have such respect and value her baseball insight and know her impact on the game of baseball is just beginning.”

There is one thing stands out like a sore thumb from Van Wagenen’s statement—Mendoza’s “expanded role” at ESPN. That’s the line ESPN is going with even if it’s hard to believe after they removed her from “Sunday Night Baseball.”

Is it true her role is expanding? That’s debatable. She’ll still be calling weekday games while making “SportsCenter” and “Baseball Tonight” appearances, but she’s being taken off one of ESPN’s marquee programs which feels like a step back.

This demotion of sorts comes amidst Mendoza’s own scandal. She called out Mike Fiers for speaking out against the Astros only after leaving the team. She attacked him on national radio, not something ESPN likely wants to stand behind.

It’s also been mentioned by some that her role with the Mets was a conflict of interest and she would have to step down due to that. That’s rich considering ESPN had no issue with Alex Rodriguez holding an advisor role with the New York Yankees.

This tweet from Andy Martino pretty much sums up this whole situation.

It’s a disappointing turn of events after the Mets made such great strides. Hopefully, this won’t mean taking a step back in the future.

A contributor here at elitesportsny.com. I'm a former graduate student at Loyola University Chicago here I earned my MA in History. I'm an avid Mets, Jets, Knicks, and Rangers fan. I am also a prodigious prospect nerd and do in-depth statistical analysis.