Andy Green felt a responsibility to help Mets and return to dugout

Andy Green wasn’t expecting a return to the dugout. But following the firing of Carlos Mendoza, the Mets’ senior vice president of baseball development felt a “responsibility” to step in on an interim basis — and help ease the “burden” on players to perform amid this nightmarish season.  Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.“Guys play their best when they play with joy,” said Green, who had been serving as the team’s senior vice president of baseball development.

“Guys play their best when they realize this isn’t about strategy, it’s about freedom.” Green, who managed the Padres from 2016-19, was completely happy in his front office role in the minors, which president of baseball operations David Stearns said he will return to at the end of this season.The former utility infielder and short-lived Mets player (he suited up for the team four times in 2009) “loved” running the team’s farm system, said he rejected other chances to manage and enjoyed being able to spend more time with his three daughters. This, Green said in a captivating press conference, “wasn’t something I was running to.”“This felt like a responsibility more than an opportunity.

Once it was made known to me that there was nothing that was going to change [in terms of his development role], once I learned that, I genuinely believe that given my life experience, I was best positioned to help over the next three months and see what we can get done as a group.” There’s no guarantees that Green, who amassed a 274-366 record in San Diego, will inspire a turnaround for this Mets team, who entered Friday’s matchup against the Phillies riding a six-game losing streak and two days removed from a six-error disaster against Chicago. Green, who knows Carson Benge, A.J.Ewing and Nolan McLean from their time in the minors, believes this team can defend better o...