The biggest problem for the Mets isn't statistical...
The Mets bullpen got bombed again by the Braves as they've lost nine of their last ten games
What’s up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets lost yet again on Tuesday night, falling to the Braves by a 7-4 score (box)
Frankie Montas started for the Mets and pitched well over five innings, allowing just three hits and three walks with five strikeouts
The Mets bullpen allowed five runs in the fifth inning - Huascar Brazoban walked the bases loaded before both José Castillo and Reed Garrett poured fuel on the fire, all combining to allow four walks, three hits and five runs
Richard Lovelady made his Mets debut and fit right in, allowing two runs over 1.2 IP
The Mets did go 4-for-7 with RISP but struck out 14 times on the night
Roster Moves 📰
Frankie Montas has been reinstated from the 60-Day IL
RHP Chris Devenski optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
OF Jesse Winker transferred to the 60-Day IL
Injury Updates 🏥
LHP Sean Manaea (oblique strain) came away from his most recent rehab start with elbow soreness. An MRI revealed he has loose bodies in his elbow, but the club hopes he can resume his rehab assignment next week and be activated shortly thereafter
OF Jesse Winker (oblique strain) is expected to begin a rehab assignment next week
Play of the Game 🌟
Matt Olson stuck it to the Mets yet again, this time delivering a go-ahead two-run single off Reed Garrett with two outs in the sixth to give Atlanta a 5-3 lead. The Mets carried a 3-0 lead into the sixth but the Mets bullpen walked four batters to dig their own grave yet again on Tuesday.
Stats of the Day 📊
The Mets have given up five runs or more in an inning eight times this season, but five of those instances have come over their last 11 games since June 13
The Mets have gone 10-28 against the Braves since August 15, 2022, and have lost their last six games against Atlanta dating back to September 30, 2024
Down on the Farm 🌾
IF Luisangel Acuña (Triple-A): 3-for-4, BB, RBI
RHP Jack Wenninger (no. 27 prospect, Double-A): 5 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
RHP Nate Dohm (no. 18 prospect, High-A): 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
RHP José Chirinos (Low-A): 4 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 2 K
BOX SCORES
Low-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓️
Match-up: Mets (46-34) vs. Braves (37-41)
Where: Citi Field — Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Clay Holmes (7-4, 3.04 ERA) vs. RHP Didier Fuentes (0-1, 7.20 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
The biggest warning sign of all was not discussed by David Stearns on Tuesday… ✍️
What a mess. Seriously.
As David Stearns said before yesterday’s game, in streaks like this, there isn’t usually just one thing that goes wrong. The hope is it’s a bad turn or two through the rotation, the bullpen hits a rough patch, or the offense is simply hitting into a lot of bad luck but not converting.
The problem is, it’s all of that and I don’t even think the offense is hitting into a whole lot of bad luck, despite Stearns’ belief there is bad luck built into their poor offense.
The Mets finally got a good start from a pitcher, this time from Frankie Montas who had as good of a Mets debut one might’ve hoped for under the circumstances. He had missed the first three months with a high-grade lat strain, made it through healthy, and at least gave the Mets the chance to win they were hoping for.
The problem is, he was only able to go five innings, which was expected and understood but a continuation of a trend where starters are giving the Mets five innings or less, thereby overusing and overexposing what is once again a revolving door of pitchers in the Mets bullpen. Last night it was Huascar Brazoban and José Castillo who blew up the game for the Mets thanks to walks and poor pitch quality, and Reed Garrett once again couldn’t shut the door after allowing a go-ahead hit to Matt Olson which gave the Braves a lead you knew they weren’t relinquishing.
Why? Because the Mets came up in the next inning and looked absolutely dead. As if they had surrendered the night.
And see, that’s the part David Stearns didn’t talk about which has me the most concerned about these 2025 Mets.
They had it real good for the first 2 1/2 months of the season despite a stop-and-start offense, an inability to hit with runners in scoring position, despite a lot of injuries to their pitching staff, despite underperformance at four positions on the field (that isn’t new by the way - they’ve gotten nothing offensively from second, third, catcher, and center field all season).
Their at-bats had no pulse last night, basically until the ninth inning when it was already too late while down four runs. They appeared to be going through the motions, taking pitches off, swinging at almost anything that wasn’t a strike.
That’s the part that is bothering me the most. Where is the energy? Where is the fight? Where is that determination that despite these struggles, they CAN and they WILL get through it?
Right now, they look like a last-place team that can’t wait to be playing golf in October.
I don’t think it matters who they’re playing, either. Whether it’s the Braves, Phillies, Rays, they’re just letting teams walk all over them and simply outplay them in every inning.
These are the kind of things that, in another generation anyway, would result in big in-season changes. I think they’re doing what they can with the roster, but historically these kinds of ruts and the presentation this club has on the field would result in major personnel shakeups.
Now, the trademark for both Stearns and Carlos Mendoza is their common demeanor and maintaining poise during a team-wide struggle. I can most certainly appreciate that - their patience and ask for trust in their process worked quite well in 2024.
But this isn’t 2024, and it’s also a month later than when it all clicked for the Mets. Granted, they've built 2 1/2 months of goodwill into this season already, that which didn’t exist in June last season. Even so, hoping this all fixes itself isn’t a strategy, especially when there are physical reasons why it is happening like an overworked bullpen, injured players, and general underperformance.
I’m not suggesting Stearns should turnover an entire coaching staff. I don’t necessarily subscribe to those things. After all, the coaches don’t play. All I am saying is in the past, the winds of change might’ve passed through that clubhouse in a time like this where not only did the team stink, but they appeared to be going through the motions as a lifeless and listless club.
But clearly, at least from a roster perspective, the needs have become more obvious and more glaring during this free fall. There’s not a lot Stearns is going to be able to do as far as significant player changes go for at least another three weeks, if not longer. Most teams don’t decide they’re in the race or not until around July 15-20, and some wait until the last second before the trade deadline.
Of course, we don’t want the Mets to be one of those teams deciding what to do. We want them to remain in this and at least keep their heads above water while they wait and see on Sean Manaea and Jesse Winker specifically, if not Kodai Senga and Mark Vientos as well. Those are all players that can help fix their problems when they get back if they perform as they should, but it feels like way too many things can happen between now and when even one of them returns.
But to me, it starts with that in-game engagement which just doesn’t appear to be there. And to me, those indifferent at-bats the Mets had after they blew the lead were the biggest warning sign of all.
Around the League 🚩
Tarik Skubal struggled while allowing four runs over six innings, but he and the Tigers found a way through for an 11-4 win over the A’s
The Yankees blew a 3-0 lead as the Reds walked them off for a 5-4 win in Cincinnati
The Cardinals hit three home runs and moved to within 2.5 games of the Cubs with an 8-7 win in St. Louis
The Rays pushed to within 1.5 games of the Yankees thanks to a 5-1 win over the Royals - Taj Bradley gave Tampa Bay 6.2 IP of shutout ball on the mound
The great start was somewhat misleading and rested on things that it turns out (not too surprisingly) could not last. It relied, for instance, too much on pitching overperforming, including bullpen arms and marginal starters who did great for a while, but are starting to fall back to earth. And, yes, I'm upset about that lack of fight. The Marlins beat this team just over the weekend. They aren't damn world beaters. And, this isn't Atlanta. They continued to lose at home. This run is a tad disgusting.
The Mets overestimated the young infielders and thought one or maybe even two of them would step up. That's why they didn't sign Jose (OMG) Iglesias. Not one stepped up, and Jose and his energy are missing. This is not to say that if they signed Jose, that anything would be different, just that it may be a snippet in this horror story. What is important, however, is that the talent evaluators, didn't. Alvarez is a puzzlement and the pitching is another story.