The New York Mets found themselves on the wrong side of history on Sunday after suffering a crushing 12-1 defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates. This setback not only sealed a series sweep against the Pirates, but also marked the Mets’ 13th loss in their last 16 games. Most alarmingly, the team became the first since 1901 to accumulate 30 runs against, score just four runs and record 25 strikeouts in a single game, figures that set off alarm bells.
The Mets’ problems began on the mound, with Frankie Montas having a night to forget. Montas allowed five runs in the first inning with just two outs and a total of 4.0 innings pitched. Then it was Richard Lovelady, Dedniel Nunez and Travis Jankowski who allowed two runs each, adding to the poor pitching performance.
This bad 16-game stretch came after a six-game winning streak against the Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals. The Mets were hoping to maintain a similar performance against the Pirates, but they were far from it.
Carlos Mendoza’s forceful message
After the bad game, manager Carlos Mendoza did not hide his frustration. “We’re all frustrated, obviously, I’m not going to lie. We’re better than that, and they know it. It’s a tough stretch, but we have to be better. It starts with me. We believe in those guys.”
The truth is that Mendoza recognizes the poor performance and does not hide from criticism. However, he also knows that his players must do their part and figures such as Juan Soto and Pete Alonso are the main ones targeted, as they have not performed well and fans are beginning to lose patience.
All or nothing against the Milwaukee Brewers
Regarding the next game, which will be against the Milwaukee Brewers, Mendoza explained that they must show a better version. “Tomorrow is a day off, then another good team comes to town, the Brewers. They’re playing well. So we have to bring our best game. As I said, keep supporting the guys, but obviously we’re not happy with this,” he said.
This series against the Brewers represents a crucial opportunity for the Mets. In a moment of apparent frustration, Mendoza emphasized the need for the team to “bring out our best game.” It is a critical period that will determine whether they can reverse the negative trend that has led them to record historically negative marks or whether they will continue to sink in a season that began with different expectations.
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