

The New York Mets just hit a brick wall in Pittsburgh. A weekend series against the Pirates turned into an absolute nightmare. The Queens ballclub was outscored, 30-4, in three games. The blood bath reached its zenith with an embarrassing 12-1 trashing to finish the series sweep. This brutal end came just five days following a players-only meeting, a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. Clearly, the closed-door talk did little to change their immediate fortunes on the field.
After the sweep, manager Carlos Mendoza did not hide his disappointment. He spoke with raw honesty about his team’s struggle. “We‘re all frustrated, obviously, I’m not going to lie,” Mendoza admitted. “We’re better than that, and they know it. It’s a tough stretch, but we have to be better. It starts with me.” This recent collapse delivered another significant, though less visible, blow.
Gabe Lacques of USA TODAY Sports reported on the fallout from the disastrous road trip. He noted, “Little wonder, then, that the Mets tumbled four places in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.” This drop serves as a harsh external judgment on the team’s sudden freefall. The Amazin’s now sit at the No. 8 spot in these influential rankings. This sharp decline quantifies just how far the team has fallen in the eyes of national analysts.
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Lacques highlighted the swift evaporation of their division lead. “On June 12, they held a 5 ½-game lead and the confidence that injured pitchers such as Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea were coming back,” he noted. Just a few weeks ago, the Mets sat atop the National League East, holding a 5½-game lead and brimming with the confidence that only a healthy rotation can bring. The Phillies, their closest rivals, were floundering. The summer seemed poised to be painted in blue and orange. But baseball, as Mets fans know all too well, rarely follows the script.
Now, they find themselves just 1 ½ games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The culprit? A relentless parade of injuries that has turned the Mets’ rotation into a game of Whack-a-Mole—patch one hole, and another opens immediately. Adding to the woes, “trusty fill-in Griffin Canning is now out for the year with an Achilles injury,” a significant blow to an already depleted pitching staff.
This brutal assessment from the outside perfectly mirrors the chaos happening within the team’s every facet.
A deeper dive into the Mets’ slump
The offensive philosophy of the team has been a massive issue. One “contagious habit,” of chasing pitches outside the strike zone, is killing rallies. The Mets are chasing 30 percent of pitches outside of the strike zone, which is higher than the major league average of 28 percent. Ronny Mauricio has been a key offender, with chase rates that have historically approached 40%. Even slugger Pete Alonso has been regressing in this area.
The picture isn’t any prettier on the mound. The season-ending Achilles injury to Canning, who was 7-3 with a 3.77 ERA, was a killer. The team is also without its ace, Kodai Senga (1.47 ERA), and key starter Tylor Megill (3.95 ERA). That left the team having to count on Montas, who was shaky in his comeback, giving up six earned runs in just four innings to the Pirates.
Besides, the team’s decline has also been contributed also by defensive blunders. Mets’ Brandon Nimmo has frankly spoken, “There’s mistakes all over the field you can point at.” Key infielders such as Francisco Lindor (7 errors), Mark Vientos (7 errors), and Brett Baty (4 errors) have accumulated miscues. These things increase the length of innings, force pitchers to throw more pitches, and lead to unearned runs.
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But there is a silver lining that shines through the dark clouds over Queens. Juan Soto has been playing like a man on a mission. He just completed arguably the best offensive month in franchise history. In June, he hit .325 with 10 home runs and a staggering 1.238 OPS, the best in all of baseball.

via Imago
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Tampa Bay Rays Vs. New York Mets Juan Soto of the New York Mets singles during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field in Corona, N.Y., on June 13, 2025. New York City N.Y. United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xGordonxDonovanx originalFilename:donovan-tampabay250613_npGci.jpg
In the end, the road ahead for the Mets is both challenging and clear. The team has to figure out how to get healthy and how to simply be themselves again. Mendoza is counting on the reinforcement of his pitching staff. The possible return of Senga, Megill, and Manaea from the injured list in July would be a huge boon.
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They will also look for a spark from prospects and the eventual return of Jesse Winker.
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