The Mets promoted top pitching prospect Nolan McLean to replace struggling veteran Frankie Montas in the starting rotation. He was coming off with a combined 2.45 ERA between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. Hopes were high on him, and the Mets designated Paul Blackburn for assignment to make way for McLean. But his worsening outings at the mound are now increasing the Mets’ woes.

With things now beyond control, manager Carlos Mendoza sends another blunt ultimatum to the clubhouse that may sound repetitive but portrays the sorry state of affairs in New York.

“There’s so much I could sit here and say that we worry – we’ve got to go out and do it ourselves. We’re not putting ourselves in good positions. It’s not early anymore. Whatever I say here doesn’t matter; we’ve got to go out there and do it,” SNY quoted Mendoza.

The Mets are currently 10 games under .500 and have now lost six of their last seven games. Their latest game against the Reds stands as another example of their pitching faltering and rough offseason decisions.

Monday’s loss to the Reds was the Mets’ fourth straight. They were previously swept by the Marlins, where they scored just 2 runs in three games. On Monday, the Mets allowed 7 runs to the Reds. So, whether it’s offense or defense, nothing is working right now for New York. On Monday, the Mets scored 9 hits but failed to cover the bases.

“We’re having a hard time putting rallies together, and the biggest thing is our inability to drive the ball out of the park,” Mendoza added about their offense.  Marcus Semien was the lone bright spot for the Mets on Monday, as he secured one homer in the sixth inning, ending the Mets’ three-game home run drought.

Apart from Semien’s home run, Brett Baty could add another with singles. The Mets’ offense ended there, while McLean allowed 7 runs!

McLean gave up 7 ERs from his 3.1 innings pitched, along with 6 SOs. “It’s just bad pitching, honestly,” McLean said, per John Flanigan of SNY. “Getting behind in counts, not landing my off-speed pitches, and I’ve been hitting guys with two strikes — I haven’t been pitching my best, and I gotta be better.”

However, for McLean, things are looking worse. He started with a bang this year, securing a 2.92 ERA in his first nine starts. But in his last two starts, the Mets’ rookie gave up 13 ERs on 13 hits, ballooning up his ERA to 4.40. “He’s a competitor,” Mendoza said about McLean.

Mendoza’s ultimatum for the Mets clubhouse sounds repetitive. Last month, when the Mets were standing 9-19, he had a similar view. “It’s hard to explain when you have that many guys that are going through it at the same time,” Mendoza said back then. “It’s just not a good showing, not good at-bats up and down [the lineup]. Overall, not hitting the ball hard consistently, and it’s hard.”

Nothing improved since then, other than winning the Subway Series against the Yankees. We are not certain if Mendoza’s recent pep-talk would work, but the Mets’ struggle renewed the focus again on David Stearns’ offseason decision.

The Mets’ offseason decisions should also be blamed

The Mets signed Bo Bichette for a massive $126 million contract, and why not? Bichette was coming off a .311 season last year. The reality is different, though. He had to learn a new defensive position and simultaneously adjust to the pressure of the New York market. His production plummeted, causing a severe drop in the team’s overall OPS. He is currently struggling with a .227 average and has managed to score 5 homers so far.

The Mets signed Jorge Polanco for $40 million, and the result is the same as Bichette. He is currently hitting .179 and could manage only one homer.

The situation is worse in the pitching department. Devin Williams was brought in to anchor the bullpen. He struggled immensely with an ERA over 6.00 and could not provide the late-inning stability the team required. Last month against the Twins, he entered a tied 3-3 game. He walked three batters and surrendered a hit.

So, while Mendoza is at the receiving end of the Mets’ disaster, Stearns’ offseason decisions should also be questioned. And with how the clubhouse is performing currently, the offseason decisions could haunt the Mets for the worse.