It's now or never for the Mets...
Their losing streak hit seven as the Mets imploded in Philly on Friday night
What’s up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets continue to be in free fall mode after imploding late in a 10-2 loss to the Phillies on Friday night (box)
The bullpen was responsible for allowing six runs to score in a nightmarish seventh inning, breaking open what had been a tie game
RHP Blade Tidwell was solid in his second career start - giving up two earned runs on four hits and three walks with four strikeouts over 3.2 innings
1B Pete Alonso and 2B Jeff McNeil hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth to make it a tied game
However, those were the only runs the Mets would score with the offense managing just seven hits while going 0-for-2 with RISP, leaving seven runners on base
The Mets have now lost seven straight games - their longest losing streak of the 2025 season - and their longest losing streak since June 2-9, 2023
New York (45-31) is now one game behind the Phillies (46-30) for the NL East lead - the first time since May 30 that the ballclub does not have a share of the division lead
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Frankie Montas (right lat strain) will make his Mets debut against the Braves at Citi Field on Tuesday
LHP Sean Manaea (right oblique strain) retired 15 batters in a row and allowed just one earned run on two hits and no walks with seven strikeouts across 5.1 innings and 62 pitches for Triple-A Syracuse in his latest rehab start on Friday. Manaea could make his series debut against the Brewers in the first week of July
3B Mark Vientos (low-grade hamstring strain) hit a double and finished with three RBIs in a rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. He will continue to play rehab games through this weekend and could return on Monday for the start of the Braves series
Roster Moves 📰
RHP Blade Tidwell recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Justin Hagenman optioned to Triple-A Syracuse following Thursday’s game
LHP Sean Manaea’s rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A Syracuse
Who’s Cold? 🥶
During their seven-game losing streak, the Mets have scored just 16 runs. They have also scored just seven runs over their last four games
SS Francisco Lindor went 0-for-4 on Friday with two strikeouts, and is now without a hit in his last 18 at-bats. He’s hitting .115/.233/.154 over his last seven games
RHP Reed Garrett’s ERA almost doubled from 1.23 to 2.45 after his rough outing on Friday. He has a 9.53 ERA over his last seven games, allowing six earned runs on nine hits and four walks during that span
Over their last six games, Mets starters have combined to produce a 6.67 ERA, which ranks as one of the worst marks in all of baseball over that span
Play of the Game 😡
There were several moments that you could point to that led to the Mets not winning on Friday.
However, one moment stands out above the rest for why they ultimately ended up imploding in such shocking fashion.
With the game tied entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Reed Garrett was tasked with keeping things where they were and setting the offense up for a chance to win the game.
Instead, the train came off the tracks very, very, very quickly.
Garrett allowed a double to Brandon Marsh, before then giving up a double to Trea Turner that scored Marsh to give the Phillies the lead. Garrett couldn’t recover, and the Mets were never able to stop the bleeding from that point on as a tied game quickly morphed into a messy bloodbath.
Down on the Farm 🌾
CF Travis Jankowski (Triple-A): 3-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 1 Grand Slam, 1 SB
2B Luke Ritter (Triple-A): 3-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HR
DH Jesus Baez (No. 7 prospect, High-A): 2-for-5, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR
C Ronald Hernandez (No. 25 prospect, High-A): 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 3B, 1 SB
C Onix Vega (Low-A): 3-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B
BOX SCORES
Low-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR (GM 1 | GM 2)
Today’s Game 🗓️
Match-up: Mets (45-31) at Phillies (46-30)
Where: Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
Starters: RHP Griffin Canning (6-3, 3.80 ERA) vs. RHP Mick Abel (2-0, 2.21 ERA)
When: 7:15 PM EDT
Where to Watch: FOX
It is now or never for the Mets to show us who they really are… ✍️
It is official - the Mets have hit rock bottom. The nadir, as Sandy Alderson used to say about those old Mets.
Friday night’s brutal implosion in an embarrassing loss to the Phillies was the perfect summation of everything that has gone wrong for this ballclub over the duration of what is now a seven-game losing streak.
Oh, by the way, this is the Mets’ worst losing streak since June 2023. That’s just how bad this current stretch of baseball has been.
All of this team’s warts and fatal flaws were on full display in the series opener in Philadelphia - arguably the worst loss of this current losing streak.
Blade Tidwell - a late call-up from Triple-A Syracuse due to how banged up the rotation is -did as well as could be expected on short notice. However, he could only pitch 3.2 innings, meaning an already tired bullpen had to take on the majority of the workload.
Well, for a little bit at least, the relief pitching was doing its job. And the bullpen was helped by the fact that the offense showed a little life in the sixth with Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil hitting back-to-back homers.
However, it all went downhill from there.
Reed Garrett entered a tied game and imploded, allowing four earned runs on three hits. Justin Garza failed to limit the damage, also allowing four earned runs as a close game morphed into an absolute cakewalk for the Phillies. The offense offered nothing outside of those two home runs, finishing with just seven hits on the night. As a result, it is now the Phillies who sit atop the NL East, not the Mets.
So, where do we go from here?
Well, there isn’t exactly an easy answer to that loaded question.
It is obvious the Mets need pitching help, both in the rotation and in the bullpen. Frankie Montas is set to make his debut for the team on Tuesday, while Sean Manaea is on track to make his first start of 2025 during the first week of July. As for external reinforcements, however, there probably won’t be any help on the way until we get closer to the Trade Deadline. That goes for starting pitching, a left-handed reliever, and potential new faces at third base and behind the plate.
Therefore, it is going to be up to this roster as it is currently constituted to step up and prove they are as good as we all thought they were.
And now is the time to do exactly that.
If this current downward spiral continues against the Phillies and then against the Braves next week, then the Mets could find themselves in a really uncomfortable spot heading into July.
Yes, they’ve been punched in the mouth repeatedly over the last week or so. And, yes, the starting rotation is depleted and has taken huge steps back. But, with that said, there is still too much talent on this roster for this team to be this bad.
Going into spring training, the perceived strength of this team was the offense. It was a loaded lineup that was supposed to carry the Mets to new heights in 2025, not the starting pitching, which had a boatload of question marks. As such, the offense needs to be way, way, way better. It isn’t acceptable for a lineup this talented to have scored just 16 runs over a seven-game span.
As I mentioned in an editorial on Thursday, the offensive stars of this team need to step up and carry the load. That includes Francisco Lindor, who is without a hit in his last 18 at-bats. He’s hitting .115 over this losing streak. We keep saying Juan Soto needs to become the superstar hitter we all know he is, and we can only keep saying that for so much longer. At some point soon, Soto needs to turn it on.
Others have to contribute as well, however. One of Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, or Ronny Mauricio needs to stand out at third base and make the position their own. A decision on Francisco Alvarez needs to be made right now before an obvious problem gets worse. Brandon Nimmo needs to be more consistent. As does McNeil. Getting Jesse Winker back will help too.
This team also needs to be working overtime in fixing its obvious and painful problems with RISP. Entering Friday, the Mets were hitting an NL-worst .215 with runners in scoring position. They went 0-for-2 against the Phillies, leaving seven runners stranded on base. That included McNeil grounding out into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the first inning. A clutch hit in that situation would have changed the entire complexion of the game.
The Mets also need to squeeze in extra reps on defense. That area of the game continues to be a major problem, and mental lapses didn’t help the team’s cause on Friday. Bad defense and not being able to cash in with runners on will be the downfall of any team once they get to the postseason.
With the starting pitching reeling and the bullpen exhausted, this offense needs to find a way to be more explosive, more dynamic, and more clinical in clutch situations. And fast. Lindor, Soto, and Alonso all need to be hitting at the peak of their powers from here on out. The young players need to prove they belong on the biggest stage. And the veterans have to contribute on a nightly basis. Then the Mets just have to hope that both Montas and Manaea can help to get the starting pitching back on track, while praying that Kodai Senga can resume pitching at a Cy Young level once he returns.
At the end of the day, this current roster was constructed to compete for a World Series. You can’t rely on the hope of new additions at the Trade Deadline to make a monumental difference. If that’s the case, then things are probably way worse than we think. Help isn’t coming through that door anytime soon, so the team that was built to be a contender needs to start playing like one.
Alarming slumps such as this one just can’t happen when you are aiming to be at the top of the mountain. Especially not against divisional rivals.
And, yes, losing streaks are going to happen throughout a 162-game regular season schedule. But it is the nature of this losing streak that is so concerning.
Therefore, it is up to this current group of players to strap on their big boy pants, play up to their potential, and show everyone that they are a group capable of playing like a true contender before it is too late. This current skid has to end, and it has to end now.
It is now or never.
Around the League 🚩
Pirates RHP Dennis Santana was handed a four-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for aggressive conduct towards a fan
Another contender emerged in the potential purchase of the Rays, with Hedge Fund founder Trip Miller making an all-cash offer (The Athletic)
Mariners C Cal Raleigh hit a pair of homers in a 9-4 win over the Cubs to pass Hall of Famer Johnny Bench for the most home runs by a primary catcher (29) before the All-Star break
RHP Jacob Misiorowski threw six perfect innings in just his second career MLB start as the Brewers cruised past the Twins, 17-6
OF Aaron Judge hit his 27th home run of the year and got on base four times, but that wasn’t enough as the Yankees lost 5-3 to the Orioles
RHP Jacob deGrom tossed six innings of two-run ball for another quality start on Friday, meaning he’s now logged 12 straight starts of five or more innings and two or fewer runs, which is the longest streak by any MLB pitcher 35 or older in the modern era
Without Alonso and Lindor this team would be looking up at the Wild Card. No one else is performing close to expectations. and getting Winker back will make zero difference. He was hitting under .240 with 1 home run. Better than Jared Young maybe but not by much. Production from catcher, 2nd base, 3rd base and DH all below league average.
I thought Tidwell looked pretty good. I’ve heard he could end up in the bullpen and I see it. That 99 fastball out for 1 inning is enticing. It feels like Groundhog Day but the offense has to score more runs. It’s been all year. The young guys we all wanted to see are so disappointing. Álvarez needs AAA and I’d also send Mauricio down when Vientos comes back.