The New York Mets’ 2026 payroll ranks behind only the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers among Major League Baseball teams, and entering the season, the FanGraphs projection model had the Mets winning the second-most games (90, behind only the Dodgers’ 98).
However, the Mets are currently tied for the worst record in MLB at 7-14, and on Sunday, the team’s losing streak reached 10 games.
The Mets lost 4-2 to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field, and the game-changing moment came in the bottom of the seventh.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning and the score tied 1-1, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza removed star right-hander Freddy Peralta from the game and brought in left-handed reliever Brooks Raley. Left-handed Cubs hitter Moisés Ballesteros was scheduled to bat in the designated hitter spot, but Chicago manager Craig Counsell countered by going with Carson Kelly as a pinch-hitter to bat from the right side. Kelly proceeded to hit a three-run homer on the first pitch.
After the game, Mendoza was asked, “What’s your message to fans who are understandably very discouraged about the way you guys have been playing?”
“They have all the right to be pissed and frustrated,” Mendoza said. “They care, just like we do. I mean, we care here. We want to win as much as they do…. We’ve got to go out and do it. I understand how they’re feeling. I’d be pissed too if I’m a fan. I’m pissed. They’re pissed.”
It’s still very early in the season, rough stretches happen for just about every team over 162 games, and superstar hitter Juan Soto has been out since April 3 as he recovers from a calf injury; the hope is that he returns next week. But banking 14 losses over 21 games played, to go with a losing streak that is now at 10 games (and with the offense scoring more than four runs once in that stretch), shouldn’t be happening with this Mets roster.
While Mendoza isn’t hiding from the issues and claims to be as frustrated as the fan base is, Mets fans won’t care until the team starts winning games and performing closer to what the roster talent suggests it should.
And it has to be nearing the point where Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns and highly vocal owner Steve Cohen consider a change.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.