The Mets manager, Carlos Mendoza, had a blunt ultimatum for the team after Monday’s 7-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Nolan McLean’s promotion to replace struggling veteran Frankie Montas has backfired. His latest start cost the Mets another game they needed to win. With the team currently 10 games under .500, their playoff hopes are fading fast.

Mendoza was clearly frustrated after the game, showing how bad things are as the team is running out of time.

“There’s so much I could sit here and say that we worry – we’ve got to go out and do it ourselves,” Mendoza said, via SNY. “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.”

Nolan Mclean arrived 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.

The Mets 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 two runs in three games. On Monday, the Mets allowed seven runs to the Reds. So, whether it’s offense or defense, nothing is working right now for New York. On Monday, the Mets managed nine 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.

McLean gave up seven ERs from his 3.1 innings pitched, along with six 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, but the poor pitching is, in fact, hurting the team.

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.”

Since that warning, nothing has improved except for a brief Subway Series win over the Yankees. This ongoing disaster has fans questioning the president of baseball operations, David Stearns, and his offseason moves.

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 five 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 given how the clubhouse is currently performing, the offseason decisions could haunt the Mets for the worse.