Remember 2015? It’s been a decade since the Queens took home the division crown. Every year since then, the goal has been the same: Win the NL East. Steve Cohen made sure to check off every box this season, especially with the $765M signing of Juan Soto, draft-day optimism, and a rotation bolstered by Nolan McLean and his fellow young guns. They looked like a great squad sailing towards the October glory, but then June hit, and the inconsistencies followed. Now, after yet another 1–0 loss to the Phillies, a team they had crushed just weeks prior. Carlos Mendoza’s post-game remarks ignited fans.

In the game against the Phillies, Nolan McLean, the Mets’ rookie, pitched well, allowing only one run over 5 1/3 innings. But the offense couldn’t get going in a 1–0 loss to Philadelphia. NYM only got five hits, missed chances to score in the second and ninth innings, and Cedric Mullins went 0-for-2, making it 26 at-bats without a hit. Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez both struck out in the ninth inning, ending another bad offensive game.

When asked about his team’s struggles in the post-game, Carlos Mendoza delivered a statement that activated the roast mode from fans. He stated, “Look, we’ve been pretty inconsistent.” The skipper went on, “We put ourselves in this position, which we’re still right there. Obviously, the goal is to win the division… But we’ve got to keep going. We’ve got to turn the page here. We’ve got to be ready for another game tomorrow and continue to get the job done. But overall, the inconsistency and here we are in this position.” 

The team has lost four of its last five games while holding onto the third wild-card spot. But what sparked the fans?

Mendoza highlights that the goal is to win the division, even with inconsistencies in nearly every area.

Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat are all prospects in the Mets’ rotation, but the pressure of being in the big leagues has shown some cracks.

For example, top prospect Jonah Tong gave up three home runs in his second start against the Reds, which was a huge mistake that led to a 6–3 loss. This shows that one mistake may stop a team’s momentum as the playoffs get closer. And the offense?

Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, and Francisco Alvarez’s bats have been eerily quiet for a long time. And now, their 1–0 loss to the Phillies made it painfully evident that their comeback hopes are pretty grim. They only had five hits, left runners on base, and Jeff McNeil and Alvarez struck out, which ended any possibility of a rally.

And even then, Carlos Mendoza believes, “I trust those guys. There’s a lot of experience there, there’s a lot of talent, and I’m pretty confident that we’ll get to where we want to get.” But fans’ faith seems to have vanished not only from players but in Mendoza, too.

Mets fans fire back brutally

The Mesties didn’t shy away from giving a reality check to the man with the blueprint. One questioned his managerial skills. “Unrealistic, just like how he manages.” Even though it looked like they weren’t making contact, Mendoza relied on Jeff McNeil and Alvarez in the important ninth inning. That choice didn’t work out at all, as both players struck out, ending the Mets’ last rally.

And then comes the sarcasm. “Division???? Lol how about just make playoffs that’s the goal.“ The Mets are eight games behind in the NL East and have only a 1.3% chance of winning the division. Their best hope of making it to October is through the wild card, which they hold easily with a 93–94% chance of making the playoffs. A simple math!

Then comes the suggestion. “Get Cedric Mullins off this team. That’s a start.” Mullins, who joined the Queens during the trade deadline from the Orioles, was supposed to strengthen the lineup. Instead, his slump—0-for-26 has backfired on the Miracle Mets.

And that has led to another cutting observation. “the division has been unattainable since June. this guy is an absolute clown.”  The Mets have been inconsistent since mid-June, going 40–46. Their drop has been steep, as The New Yorker points out, with a poor 23–36 stretch since mid-June, showing that the season is coming apart at the seams. So, fans no longer believe in Carlos Mendoza’s words.

Then came a direct target on the current rotation. “Tong, Sproat, McLean 1st time through: Loss Loss Loss. This team is pathetic.” Since June, the Mets’ starters have only won 22 games and lost 27. Their once-great rotation ERA has gone from a league-best 2.84 to a disappointing 4.74, putting them 24th in ERA and 28th in innings pitched. This is a clear sign that they are relying too much on rookies like Tong, Sproat, and McLean without a true ace to lead them.

With all of these obvious problems and fans being frustrated, the question is: Will the Queens make it to October, or will this be another year of broken promises?