The one thing holding the Mets back...
Kodai Senga struggled and the lineup failed to come up with a big hit as the Mets lost. Plus, how the club is missing something this year.
What’s up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets had their three-game winning streak snapped in a tough 5-4 loss to the Nationals on Wednesday night (box)
RHP Kodai Senga struggled overall, allowing five runs - four earned - on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts across five innings
RHP Tyler Rogers, LHP Gregory Soto, and RHP Reed Garrett combined for three innings of scoreless relief and one-hit ball the rest of the way
The Mets trailed all night and didn’t score a run until the fifth inning when 3B Brett Baty launched a solo home run - his second in as many days - to make it a 4-1 game
1B Pete Alonso and 2B Jeff McNeil both hit RBI doubles in the sixth to cut the deficit to just one run, but the Mets couldn’t take advantage with the bases loaded as C Luis Torrens grounded out to end the inning
Torrens also grounded into a double play with one runner on in the ninth, with New York unable to come up with a big hit or a special moment to win the game
Injury Updates 🏥
LF Brandon Nimmo was pulled from Wednesday’s game in the second inning with neck stiffness. Nimmo is now considered day-to-day and is expected to be good to go after 24-48 hours
C Luis Torrens took a bat to his glove hand during the third inning on Wednesday and looked to be in pain, but was able to play the remainder of the game
CF Jose Siri (fractured left tibia) has ramped up baseball activities and could begin a rehab assignment next week
OF Jesse Winker (back ailment) has still been limited and hasn’t been able to ramp up with recovery a struggle. There is no timeline for his return
The Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
Listen to this week’s episode of The Just Mets Podcast as Rich MacLeod answers fan questions ahead of the final five weeks of the season.
Subscribe for access to full episodes!
Playoff Race 🏁
The Phillies won big while the Reds and Mets lost on Tuesday.
New York is are now 6.5 games back of the Phillies for the NL East lead, and are still just one game ahead of the Reds for the final Wild Card spot. Meanwhile, the gap between the Mets and the Padres and the Cubs, who occupy the top two Wild Card spots in the National League, continues to widen.
Per FanGraphs, the Mets now have a 82.3 percent chance of making the playoffs, down from 84.9% on Wednesday.
Stat of the Day 📊
RF Juan Soto now has 98 walks on the year, which is ranked second for the most walks in a season in Mets franchise history behind John Olerud, who drew 125 walks during the 1999 season
Who’s Hot? 🥵
Over his last seven games, INF Brett Baty is hitting .391/.462/.783 with three home runs and five RBI
2B Jeff McNeil is hitting .345/.387/.586 with 10 hits, one home run, and six RBI over his last seven games
Over his last seven games, SS Francisco Lindor is slashing .517/.563/.966 with three home runs and seven RBI
Play of the Game 🙃
In a game full of lost opportunities for the Mets, one sequence from Wednesday’s loss stands above the rest.
Having mounted a rally in the sixth inning to make it a 5-4 game, New York had a golden opportunity to turn a one-run deficit into a big lead.
With two outs and bases loaded, Luis Torrens stepped to the plate.
The game was right there for the taking. Torrens had a chance to play hero ball.
Instead, the catcher — who endured an eventful night all told — grounded out to end the inning and leave the bases loaded. That missed opportunity effectively iced the game for the Nationals.
Torrens did have another opportunity to win the game in the ninth with a runner on first, but, again, he couldn’t cash in and come up with the goods. In that instance, one wonders if manager Carlos Mendoza should have pinch-hit for his back-up catcher…
Down on the Farm 🌾
RHP R.J. Gordon (No. 25 prospect, Double-A): 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K
OF A.J. Ewing (No. 7 prospect, Double-A): 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, run scored
OF John Bay (Single-A): 4-for-4, HR (2), 5 RBI
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓️
Match-up: Mets (67-59) at Nationals (51-75)
Where: Nationals Park — Washington, DC
Starters: LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 4.78 ERA) vs. LHP MacKenzie Gore (5-12, 4.04 ERA)
When: 4:05 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
The Mets continue to lack an “it” factor… ✍️
I’ll be honest with you, I was really struggling to come up with a talking point for today’s newsletter.
Wednesday was another typical Mets loss in a season full of them, and I’ve written enough about that particular subject matter in recent weeks. And I think all of you were probably sick of reading those kinds of newsletters too.
I then stumbled across this tweet from our very own Rich MacLeod and, suddenly, everything clicked.
As Rich so perfectly put it, the Mets have been missing an “it” factor all season long. And, in the wake of Wednesday’s frustrating loss, that continues to be the case.
Unlike last year, this team just doesn’t have superpowers or a magical X-Factor when it comes to the biggest moments in games this season. They just don’t.
Just look at Wednesday. The lineup couldn’t come up with anything until the fifth inning when they were already down a bunch of runs. Yes, the offense did rally in the sixth to make it a one-run game, but then both Cedric Mullins and Luis Torrens became easy outs to leave the bases loaded.
The game was effectively lost there and then despite the fact that they were facing the worst bullpen in the league for another three frames.
Torrens again offered nothing in the ninth inning with a runner on, with this team once again failing to cash in with runners in scoring position. That’s been the same old sorry story all year long. Now, you can make a compelling argument that manager Carlos Mendoza should have pinch-hit for Torrens in that spot. But, if we’re being brutally honest, what were the realistic options in that moment? The better argument would have been for Mullins to steal second and put the tying run in scoring position.
But, again, it is those kinds of sliding doors moments that hammer home the point that the Mets just don’t have “it” this year.
They aren’t dynamic, they are the exact opposite of clutch, and they don’t really have a game-changing, game-breaking X-Factor, either.
Now, Francisco Álvarez was shaping up to potentially be that guy before he went down with another hand injury. And that’s exactly the kind of bad luck that will sink a team that has been hedging its bets all year.
Of course, Juan Soto should be the X-Factor of this team. And, while he’s been good, he hasn’t been Juan Soto great outside of his red-hot June. I mean, entering Wednesday, Soto was hitting just .184 with RISP, to go along with a .736 OPS in high-leverage situations.
Soto was meant to be THE guy for the Mets this year. He was meant to take over games and put this team on his shoulders in the biggest moments. And, for the most part, he hasn’t done that.
The rest of the lineup has failed to step up, too. Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso have had their moments, but they have both been way too streaky, especially since the All-Star break. Mark Vientos has started to turn it around after looking lost for most of the year. And everyone else has had a fleeting moment or two, but nothing more.
Not one player has been really able to elevate this lineup to new heights all year long.
After last night’s loss, the Mets are now 0-51 when trailing after eight innings this season.
It is the same on the pitching side.
Kodai Senga was pitching to a stellar 1.39 ERA in his first 14 starts, but is now carrying a bloated 6.00 ERA in his last six. Sean Manaea hasn’t looked like the same pitcher since he returned from the IL. And, as outstanding as David Peterson has been, he’s more of a workhorse than a true superstar ace.
The Mets have lacked a big-innings stud on the mound for the entirety of the 2025 season so far. And, as things stand, that doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.
With Senga on the mound and the likes of Soto, Lindor, and Alonso in the lineup, the Mets should be taking care of business against bad teams like the Nationals. Instead, the lack of a real “it” factor, especially in clutch situations, once again proved to be this team’s downfall.
And it could really hurt them in October.
Just look at the other contending teams around baseball.
The Yankees have Aaron Judge. The Phillies have Kyle Schwarber, who leads the National League in home runs (45) and RBIs (109). The Dodgers, of course, have Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. The Tigers have ace Tarik Skubal on the mound. Seattle has MVP candidate Cal Raleigh and fellow destroyer of baseballs Eugenio Suárez. The Red Sox have Garrett Crochet.
I could keep going, but you get the picture by now.
My point is it that seems like a slew of other contenders have legitimate X-Factors and stars who have provided the “it” factor for their respective teams all year long, and who have the pedigree to do so on the biggest stage.
The Mets can’t say the same thing — at least not this year. And, just like the lack of that hurt them on a random August night in Washington, it could really cost them big time in October when going up against opponents who don’t lack in that department. Assuming they even get there at this point.
We keep waiting, and waiting, and waiting for it to show up with this team (and with Soto in particular) but it just hasn’t. And, until it does, I have serious doubts about the Mets being genuine World Series contenders.
Around the League 🚩
Cubs 1B Michael Busch hit a bases-clearing double to help his team beat the Brewers, 4-3 and take the season series
Yankees RHP Cam Schlittler struck out eight over 6.2 innings and PH Giancarlo Stanton hit a monster two-run homer to help New York beat the Rays, 6-4 for a fifth straight win
Dodgers RHP Shohei Ohtani gave up five runs in an 8-3 loss to the Rockies and left the game with a right thigh contusion, but is expected to be in the lineup on Friday
The Cubs confirmed on Wednesday that star OF Kyle Tucker has been dealing with a hairline fracture in his right hand
SS Trea Turner had five hits and DH Kyle Schwarber his his NL-leading 45th home run as the Phillies crushed the Mariners, 11-2 to sweep the series
C Shea Langeliers hit his 10th home run in August - the most in the Major Leagues - to help the A’s beat the Twins, 4-2
To me it's the starting rotation which was pretty good though June, and other than Peterson no one is capable of going 5 or 6 innings. I would take my chances with the minor leaguers sprinkled in and hope Senga can put it together. Soto has done what the front office wanted, he has put more asses in the seats, and will eventually put up the numbers expected. He is far from the reason the Mets have not played better.
We are stuck with 14 years of Soto, a very casual player. I was hesitant during the chase, wanting him more so the Mets could finally win a free agent battle, after coming in second in a few. A team leader, a dynamic superstar, he is not. Right now the best hitter on the Mets is an aging Starling Marte. But the biggest problem is the manager Carlos Mendoza. I get not panicking, it is a long season, et al. But it is go time. and he does not seem to realize it. You can rely on guys to play to their baseball cards - this is not strat-o-matic. Hernandez disappointed me last night saying for Mullins, not to steal, to open up a shot for Torrens to hit it through the right side. He tried, hit it right to the second baseman, and we were done. This is a bad chemistry mix, a mediore manager who does not know how to push the right buttons, and a bad job by Stearns.