The Mets Nation has been hoping for some positive signs that never came. Many fans had urged the franchise to part ways with Carlos Mendoza. That eventually happened just about a week ago. But there have hardly been any noticeable changes in their results. Last night, they suffered one of their biggest losses and allowed the Atlanta Braves to lead the series 2-0. And Sean Manaea didn’t even try to suppress his disappointment after allowing 6 earned runs. 

“It’s frustrating. I don’t think there’s any other word other than that,” Manaea told the reporters after the 14-3 defeat on Saturday. “We know we’re better. We’ll figure it out, but yeah, this has been a very, very tough stretch.”

It was the Mets’ 12th loss in the last 14th games. And the 34-year-old starter had one of the most expensive outings. He allowed 6 hits and 6 ERs over 5.0 innings, striking out just 4 batters. While it took his ERA to 5.16, it was worse for New York as they recorded 36-53 this season. However, some might argue about using the word ‘worse’ since the Mets have been stuck at the bottom of the NL East for most of 2026. 

And it’s not just Manaea.

Almost the entire starting rotation has been a huge concern for the franchise this season. Kodai Senga, for example, has an 8.66 ERA. He has a 0-7 record and managed only 42 Ks this season. Freddy Peralta is comparatively better with a 4.81 ERA. Clay Holmes, on the other hand, has a much better ERA (2.39), but his strikeout numbers (45) are hardly better than Senga’s. 

And the bullpen hasn’t offered them much help either. 

This Saturday, Austin Warren allowed 4 hits and 4 runs in 2.0 innings while Joey Gerber gave away 3 earned runs without recording a single strikeout. 

At the same time, the Mets are 27th in the league with a .230 batting average. And they have a -62 run differential. New York is 12.5 games behind a Wild Card spot. With these conditions, the playoff path looks extremely difficult. 

But Baseball fans have witnessed unlikely second-half turnarounds before. 

History offers hope, but the Mets have bigger hurdles to clear

In 2019, the Washington Nationals were going through a tough stretch early in the season with a 19-31 record. They turned things around later in that season to win their first and only World Series. 

The St. Louis Cardinals did something more incredible in 2011. They were 10.5 games behind the Wild Card chase. But shifting gears in August not only took them to the postseason, but they went on to win the World Series that season. 

So, it wouldn’t be right to say that the season is over for the Mets. But the hurdles are too big to ignore. 

New York finally fired Mendoza, and Andy Green took over just about a week ago. The Senior Vice President for Player Development took a step down to serve as an interim manager. While that is commendable, the front office has already made it clear that he isn’t the permanent solution. 

Plus, Green has a below .500 record in his past managerial experience with the San Diego Padres. Hence, expecting a miracle might be stretching it a bit. 

Then we have the Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto controversy. While the players have downplayed any friction between them, the fans have routinely questioned their chemistry. 

And the noise surrounding David Stearns’ offseason overhaul has never subsided. The way he let players like Pete Alonso slip away and how Peralta and Manaea have been ineffective reflect huge roadblocks for the Mets. 

However, Manaea mentioned that they’re “better than this.” And he is practically claiming that they have the potential. Whether they can actually “figure it out” before it’s over remains the real question.