The New York Mets are now clinging to a lead of less than two games for the final NL Wild Card spot. With just over two weeks left in the regular season, the Mets are heading into uncharted waters—ones they’d rather avoid. And right now, the team is spiraling at the worst possible time.
“This is not the first demoralizing skid of this topsy-turvy Mets season. Far from it. It is the club’s fifth losing streak of at least four games, their third of at least five. Everybody wearing blue and orange continues to express confidence in the team’s ability to, once again, turn things around. That’s reasonable. There is too much stardom, too much talent, to abandon all faith,” Yahoo Sports’ Jake Mintz wrote.
On Thursday night, the Mets were swept by the Phillies—and a big reason was Jesus Luzardo’s impressive rebound performance.
“The left-hander rebounded from a four-run opening frame by retiring the final 22 batters he faced to set the stage for Philadelphia's 6-4 comeback victory at Citizens Bank Park. The win secured a four-game sweep for the Phillies (87-60), who moved a season-high 11 games ahead of the Mets,” MLB.com’s Paul Casella wrote.
In classic rivalry fashion, Luzardo’s outing also helped place the Mets on the wrong side of MLB history—something no other team has ever done.
“The Mets are the only MLB team in the modern era to score 4+ runs in the first inning but have nobody reach base the rest of the game and end up losing,” Opta Stats posted.
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With their season unraveling at the worst time, this historical stat is a painful summary of where things stand. The Mets are still one of the most talented teams in the league—but right now, they haven’t figured it out. And if things don’t change quickly, they won’t just be thinking about the postseason—they’ll be thinking about early vacation plans.
Yes, New York still holds a Wild Card lead—but this losing streak needs to stop. The Mets are playing with fire, and that never ends well. For now, they’re part of a history no team wants to make.