Not even the return of superstar Juan Soto could stop the bleeding for the New York Mets, whose latest collapse has pushed them to the bottom of the league. The Mets are now tied with the Philadelphia Phillies to hold the league-worst 9-19 record. The only difference is that in the 10 games, NYM has won 2, while the Phillies have won 1. Yet in a surprising move, superstar Juan Soto is pointing the finger at the locker room after the Rockies swept them at home.

While star shortstop Bo Bichette was seen dejected in the dugout, slugger Juan Soto was quick to defend manager Carlos Mendoza.

“As players, we have to perform. It’s not Mendy’s fault, nor is it David Stearns’ fault. They’ve put together a great team, and it’s up to us to go out and perform,” stated Soto via SNY.

“I don’t think he’s done anything wrong; I think he’s doing an excellent job as manager. He’s putting the pieces in the right places. We didn’t succeed, but it’s not his fault at all.”

Players’ performances have indeed been disappointing in the Queens.

The Mets’ lineup scraped up just 1 run in Sunday’s doubleheader (3-1, 3-0) against the Rockies at Citi Field.

It was Tyrone Taylor’s run-tying homer off Rockies’ starter Jose Quintana that raised the Mets’ hopes briefly in the fifth. But Tyler Johnston’s run-scoring double-play grounder quickly took the lead back in the Rockies’ favor.

The Mets have lost 16 of their last 18 games, scoring 1 run or less during that streak.

Soto’s first game back from the IL saw the Mets snapping their 12-game skid, with a 3-2 victory against the Twins. However, it did not last.

On a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets, the former All-Star is the highest-paid in the franchise. But since his return from the IL, Soto has recorded only 3 hits in his 15 at-bats. While he walked twice, Soto failed to add a run against Colorado.

The Queens’ team boasts the second-highest payroll (above $380 million), next to the defending World Series champions, the Dodgers (above $415 million). While the Dodgers are only 0.5 games behind, the Mets are behind by 10.5 games this season.

After the Mets’ 11th consecutive loss on April 19 against the Chicago Cubs (2-1), Francisco Lindor, too, defended his manager.

“Mendy’s our guy. He’s our leader. He’s in control, and he’s done a tremendous job. We just haven’t executed. It would be unfair to put everything on him because at the end of the day, he has gotten the ship in the right direction.”

But the fact is that Manager Carlos Mendoza presumably entered the season on the hot seat after the Mets collapsed in the latter half of the 2025 regular season.

The Mets’ 38-55 record from August till the end of the season robbed their playoff chances. The franchise followed it with an overhaul of the coaching staff, keeping only 3 old members with Mendoza – bullpen coach José Rosado, quality assurance coach (formerly strategy coach) Danny Barnes, and coaching assistant Rafael Fernandez.

Meanwhile, the manager himself is also puzzled about the current funk the Mets are in.

After the disappointing weekend, Mendoza has reportedly stated that he has never witnessed a similar downfall. The Mets have an All-Star caliber team, yet their talent has been a no-show so far this season.

The skipper has also revealed that job security is the last thing on his mind in the current scenario.

“The only thing I’m worried about is I’ve got to get the guys going,” Mendoza remarked, per SNY. “I get it. It sucks, and I know the questions will continue to come up, but my job is to find a way to get those guys out of this funk.”

The Mets hold the league-worst 92 runs so far this season despite the roster revamp.

They signed Jorge Polanco in December 2025 on a 2-year, $40 million deal as a replacement for 1B Pete Alonso. Polanco, currently on the 10-day IL, is hitting .179 and went hitless in his last appearance against the Dodgers.

The Mets offered this year’s largest contract to Bo Bichette, who became their new 3B. However, Bichette is finding it tough in New York.

Bo Bichette left dejected following the series sweep by the Rockies

The Mets signed Bo Bichette, hoping to weaponize the elite hitter. But the ex-Blue Jays player has struggled spectacularly at the plate this year.

His hitting, clocking an average of .233, is nowhere near his last season’s .311 average and .840 OPS. However, it did not stop Steve Cohen, the Mets owner, from making premature predictions.

In 25 games, just one bases-clearing double off Bichette’s bat against the Twins was enough for Cohen to declare it as his ‘big boy moment.’ But in reality, Bichette is still fluctuating.

His latest disappointment came against the Rockies on Sunday, as he went hitless in his 4 at-bats in Game 2.

Following their doubleheader losses on Sunday, the dugout at Citi Field witnessed Bichette’s internal turmoil. He appeared to be contemplating the loss and his own shortcomings. For several minutes after the match, a dejected Bichette sat alone in the dugout, leaning forward with his hands on his knees.

With Francisco Lindor on the IL due to a calf strain, Bichette started as a shortstop for the first time this year against the Rockies. But that couldn’t turn things around.

Now, as the Mets clubhouse takes a break on Monday, we hope to watch a reset team against the Washington Nationals.