Remember the time when Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets? There was an entire uproar about how franchise-altering a decision it is. How they were going deep into the postseason and more. But that’s the thing about baseball; it can humble even the teams with the most expensive rosters can go down. While some, like the Brewers, for example, can thrive with their lower payroll and sans superstar roster, some, like the Mets, are struggling to keep up.

But the Mets honestly looked playoff-ready and were racing out with a 45-24 start. However, after that, they fell like dominoes in the following three months. They dropped three straight to the Philadelphia Phillies to be just six games over .500 for the first time since April. And now the Reds and Giants are breathing down their necks for that precious wild-card race. This is not what is expected for a roster filled with superstars.

And Francisco Lindor is one person who is under the spotlight because he has not really played well. Plus, here is the thing—even he doesn’t deny it. After the Phillies’ loss, he said, “We’ve just got to play better; I have to play better. I haven’t gotten a hit this series. This late in the year, I’ve got to get on base, and I’ve got to help the team.” It is an honest admission from the star, but it also highlights how tough things have gotten for the team. But this is not what many are echoing.

Brandon Nimmo took a rather different approach. Talking to the Post, Nimmo mentioned that if the Mets make it to October, then they will be a team no one wants to face. “There are a lot of teams hoping we don’t make the playoffs. There are definitely teams that don’t want to see us on the other side.” Well, call it delusion or optimism; either way, Nimmo’s comment is the opposite of Lindor’s and definitely not in sync with the condition the team is in right now. Not the offense, not the rotation—nothing is working out, but Nimmo is optimistic.

Now, after five straight losses, even Carlos Mendoza is not sugarcoating, “Nothing seems to be working for us.” And this is exactly what others are thinking. Sure, this is not a confident New York Mets skipper speaking, but well, Mets playoff chances do look slim. But it’s not all done and dusted for the team. They have 16 more games left and one more shot at taking down the Phillies. They battle the Rangers and Padres next, and for sure, they look more playoff-ready, but as we said, nothing is guaranteed in baseball.

New York Mets face a Clay Holmes dilemma 

At this point, it sounds like a broken record—but Clay Holmes stepped on the mound on Wednesday against the Phillies, and by the fifth inning, he was done. This has been the biggest issue with Holmes this season—not his stuff but his inability to last. For innings, sometimes a little more but barely enough to give the bullpen a breather. And for a team that is already leaning on relievers too often, this is a red flag.

Holmes, although, has not been a disaster this season for the New York Mets. With 29 starts and a 3.75 ERA, he is doing good. But the issue is context. One could only imagine if he were the No. 5 guy in a healthy and fully functional rotation. Then his four serviceable looks are manageable. But the Mets staff is plagued by both injuries and inconsistency. Outside of David Peterson, the rest of the people have struggled.

The front office did have chances to shift him back to the bullpen earlier this season. But they instead stuck with him as a starter. Hence, he is serviceable but not sustainable. In 151 innings, Holmes has handled more workload than in his relief days, and he has held up. But every time he leaves early, the bullpen has to cover extra outs, and that adds constant stress on arms that are worn down, like Huascar Brazoban’s and Max Kranick’s.

As for what happens next, the Mets have no choice but to keep sending Holmes out there. He isn’t the weakest link; Sean Manaea might win that. But beyond this season, the team for sure needs to rethink Holmes’s role.