Mets spiral from contender to major league cellar, 47-74 since June as pressure on Mendoza builds
NEW YORK (AP) — Ping-pong and shuffleboard have been removed from the New York Mets clubhouse this season, replaced by a chessboard and cribbage table. Recreational activities have changed, but the spiral from contender to cellar remains unchecked. New York has lost 15 of its last 17 games after getting swept 3-1 and 3-0 in a doubleheader Sunday by the Colorado Rockies, a 119-game loser last year.
The Mets are tied with NL East rival Philadelphia at a major league-worst 9-19. “It's hard to explain,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s just not a good showing.
Not good at-bats up and down. ” A big league-best 45-23 at the start of play on June 13 last year, the Mets are 47-74 since. The offseason makeover that saw Pete Alonso , Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Díaz depart, and Bo Bichette , Marcus Semien and Devin Williams arrive has thus far fizzled.
“We all know what kind of talent we have in that lineup and what kind of hitters we have and how much damage they can do,” star outfielder Juan Soto said. “So it’s a matter of time that they’re going to wake up and bring the best out of themselves. ” New York is 10 1/2 games behind NL East-leading Atlanta and seven games back for the last NL wild card.
Its 28-game start matches the expansion 1962 Mets — who lost 120 games — along with 1964 and 1983 for the second-worst in team history behind an 8-20 opening in 1981. “It’s not great. We got to be better,” Brett Baty said.