It was impossible to ignore the cruel irony: Brett Baty rescued his season from the wreckage of early failure, but the Mets’ hopes of making the playoffs fell with him. In a terrible 6-2 loss to Miami that no one in Queens will soon forget, one swing and one awkward throw caused their hottest hitter to grab his side in pain and their hopes for the playoffs to slip away.

The injury happened at a bad time, right in the middle of what should have been a normal at-bat. Baty felt the first tweak on a swing but tried to ignore the pain. But the actual damage showed up an inning later, when a long throw across the diamond made him grab his right side, and his face twisted in pain before he was taken out of the game.

“I obviously want to play,” Baty later admitted that he was frustrated and determined, his voice showing both. “There are only two days left, so if there’s any possibility of me playing, I’m going to play.” The third baseman’s determination shows how much he has changed recently. Since August 2, he has hit .313 with an .879 OPS, giving a lineup that needs consistency a much-needed boost.

The loss is more than just Baty’s individual contributions. The Mets’ chances of making the playoffs were taken away when they lost on Friday and Cincinnati won. If the Reds play as well as they did in their last two games, even perfect execution may not be enough. For Mets fans who have seen their hopes die in September year after year, Baty’s injury feels like the cruelest punchline of fate. The numbers are cruel. Even if New York wins, it doesn’t matter if Cincinnati does too. New York will have to watch the playoffs from their couches and wonder how a season that looked so promising turned into another heartbreak.

Mets Fans Abandon Hope After Brett Baty Injury

The harsh truth about the New York Mets’ situation has led to a wave of quits on social media, with fans showing their collective sadness in ways that range from gallows humor to giving up completely. “Season is over,” declared one fan, a stark acknowledgment of the mathematical reality that the Mets now trail Cincinnati and no longer control their playoff fate despite having two games remaining.

The injury news triggered an avalanche of disappointed reactions from supporters who have watched their team struggle to maintain relevance in September. “Mets are done for the season, too. So he won’t miss much,” commented another fan, reflecting the harsh truth that the team’s 6-2 loss to Miami eliminated their ability to secure a playoff spot through their own wins alone. This pessimistic outlook stems from Cincinnati’s victory the same night, which means the Reds can clinch by winning their remaining games regardless of New York’s performance.

Fans took to social media to mourn the loss of their best hitter and their playoff control at the same time. “Well, he’s only 2 games ahead of the rest of the team,” said another person, making fun of how Baty’s .313 average since August 2nd is very different from how badly the rest of the team has been playing offense, which is why they are in this situation. The comment shows how one player’s .879 OPS has hidden the fact that the rest of the lineup hasn’t been able to consistently score runs in important September games.

Fans who were already thinking about next season had the most telling reactions. One user wrote, “There goes the World Series chances,” admitting that oblique injuries usually take 2–4 weeks to heal, so any hopes of making the playoffs are over. Another person gave practical advice: “No need to push him if he’s hurt,” because putting a cornerstone player at risk of more injury for two meaningless games would be bad for the organization.

Brett Baty’s injury is the worst thing that could happen to the Mets this season: it crushed their hopes at the worst possible time. As fans deal with another September injury, the team needs to protect the one good thing that came out of the mess.