ANAHEIM — The Mets' season may be spiraling, but manager Carlos Mendoza got a much-needed vote of confidence from the front office on Friday. After a brutal month that has left the team looking more like an expensive experiment than a World Series contender, David Stearns called Mendoza to assure him that his job is safe—for now.

That assurance, however, comes with a heavy dose of reality. The Mets are playing at a pace that would make even the 1962 expansion team blush, and owners Steve and Alex Cohen aren't writing $369 million payroll checks to watch their team tank. They expected a dynasty, not a disaster.

"I understand the situation; we all understand the situation," Mendoza said from Angel Stadium. "Since I've been in this job, I've felt the support from Steve, Alex, and David. I love working for them, but it's about the results on the field."

Mendoza, now in the third year of his contract with a club option for next season that hasn't been exercised, knows the clock is ticking. But the front office isn't ready to hit the panic button in April. The message to the clubhouse is clear: they believe in the talent, and they believe a turnaround is possible.

"Steve is not happy, Alex is not happy, David is not happy, I'm not happy—all of us are frustrated," Mendoza added. "Together, we've got to find a way to get these guys out of this fight."

For now, the Mets are staying the course. But with a payroll built for October and a start that screams April collapse, the margin for error is razor-thin. Mendoza and his team know what's at stake: win together, or lose together—and the clock is ticking.