Remember when the Boston Red Sox had the “curse of the Bambino,” which lasted for 86 years? Well, the New York Mets seem to be treading on the same path as the Red Sox, except they have their own curse. Many of the fans think that the Mets are in a slump because of New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

After hearing what the fans had to say and the reporter questioning him about this, the mayor said, “There’s a lot of baseball left to be played, and I am still keeping the faith… I will accept being addressed as Mayor ‘Mambino’ for the day.”

Mets fans are just hoping the “Curse of the Mambino” ends quickly. The bad luck supposedly started on April 9th, when Mayor Mamdani visited Citi Field and hugged Mr. Met before the game. At that point, the Mets were looking solid with a 7-4 record. They had gone on a 4-game winning streak, but everything changed that day.

They lost 7-1 against the D-backs and haven’t won since. The team is currently on an 11-game losing streak. They got swept by the Athletics, the Dodgers, and the Cubs. Now, they are about to face the Minnesota Twins and hope that the Mets can start winning.

But jokes aside, the Mets really do have a massive problem with how the team is doing.

In five of those losses, the starting pitching allowed seven or more runs, showing that they are not as reliable as they were thought to be. In eight of those games, the offense scored fewer than three runs. The bullpen posted an ERA above 5.00 over two weeks, showing how unreliable they are. But let’s look at it even more deeply.

The New York Mets average only 3.27 runs per game compared to the projected 4.64 when the season started. Key hitters like Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette, and Marcus Semien hit .218 combined.

The lineup ranks at the bottom in both runs scored and on-base percentage. They also rank 21 in hits, showing that the team’s offense is simply not able to get a bat on the ball. They also make contact too deep, around 28.4 inches, below the ideal 30-inch mark. That leads to fewer fly balls and takes away the chances of hitting deep fly balls.

The starting rotation has been average, ranking 16 with a 4.06 ERA and 16 with just 190 strikeouts.

Pitchers like Freddy Peralta, who have an ERA of 4.05, have provided stability but have not shown the dominance that was expected. Meanwhile, Kodai Senga is struggling badly. He is throwing just as hard as last year, but his command is all over the place, leaving him with an ugly 8.83 ERA.

The bullpen with pitchers like Sean Manaea, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams lacks strikeouts, ranking 30 according to Inside The Pen.

Injuries have not helped the Mets either. The team announced that Juan Soto suffered a strained right calf. Soto was hitting .355 before getting sidelined on 3 April. They have also lost Polanco to a right wrist contusion.

Despite all this, there are still 140 games left in the regular season. Zohran Mamdani said he still believes, echoing the hope shared by many fans across Queens.

The projections still see offense improving closer to expected output as the season progresses. Players like Lindor have started slow before, but when crunch time arrives, they usually step up. Now, all the fans have to do is hope that this is not a curse and just a rough patch for the New York Mets that doesn’t last long.

If the rough patch lasts long, we might start to see some changes in the Mets clubhouse.

Mayor Mamdani is not the only one getting blamed for the Mets’ slump

While some fans joke around and blame Mayor Mamdani, Carlos Mendoza is facing the real heat. Pressure around Carlos Mendoza has increased after the 11-game losing streak. Fans are openly calling for the firing of Carlos Mendoza.

Ken Rosenthal said, “The potential replacements for Mendoza would include farm director Andy Green, who managed the San Diego Padres from 2016 to ’19; bench coach Kai Correa, who has never managed; and newly elected Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran, who has never coached or managed.”

The last time the Mets endured 11 straight losses was back in 2004, and that led to the firing of Art Howe. If the losing continues, the pressure from fans and media will intensify further and might lead to Mendoza getting the boot.

To be fair, Mendoza hasn’t exactly helped his own case. In a game against the Cubs, he made a controversial decision, including pitching changes that quickly backfired for the Mets. Freddy Peralta was removed in the sixth inning, and Brooks Raley came in. Raley allowed a three-run homer.

In one of the games, Tobias Myers got the start, while regular starter David Peterson was strangely brought in as a reliever later on. In one of the losses, the Mets chose not to walk Nico Hoerner, and he cost the Mets a game.

The players have shown support for Carlos Mendoza despite the ongoing losing streak. David Stearns has publicly backed Mendoza before the Cubs series despite mounting pressure.

Last season’s collapse erased playoff hope and weakened trust after a strong run in 2024. Many analysts argue that managers have a limited impact on daily results in modern baseball. But still, Mendoza remains the visible target because he represents the team to the outside world.

But even if the Mets replace Mendoza, it may not significantly change team performance. Roster issues and inconsistent hitting have defined the Mets’ struggles throughout the season. The Mets appear poorly built for a postseason run despite a high payroll of over $350 million entering 2026.

Changing the manager might bring in some short-term pop, but in the long term, the New York Mets will continue to struggle.