Besides the firing of former GM Jared Porter due to his off-the-field accusations. The Steve Cohen Era started pretty well with the Francisco Lindor trade and extension after a short while. It was something the New York Mets fans dreamed of for a while as they believed the newest richest owner in the league was going to instill a winning culture in Queens.
However, it may be short-lived for the moment as the team had an abysmal performance against the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend. The Mets have not looked like a first-place team for quite some time due to the numerous injuries throughout the whole roster, a bunch of blown leads, and close-game losses do not help their playoff dreams at all.
The Mets Had A Disappointing Deadline
For starters, Lindor hasn’t been playing to the level that fans are accustomed to this season. On top of that, the Mets continue without their ace Jacob Degrom who hasn’t pitched since July 7th. Noah Syndergaard throws off the mound in his rehab assignment, and some of the pitchers that were brought in for depth are also currently on the IL.
Heading into the All-Star break, the Mets had a 47-40 record, and the Philadelphia Phillies were the only team that was hanging around. With the NL East seemingly falling apart, the Taijuan Walker signing after missing out on Trevor Bauer was looking like a heist with all the news surrounding Bauer.
However, one thing was clear for the front office and the fanbase. The team needed to add a bat, especially a third baseman or batter who can make contact and get on base. Also, starting pitching and bullpen help was a priority as they needed depth for a possible playoff run with too many variables on when the players on the IL will return.
For most Mets, fans the deadline was disappointing in a way because the Mets acquired Javier Baez, who hasn’t been the same since 2019 and has a 36.3 percent strikeout rate this season. Right-hander Trevor Williams, who was also acquired in the trade, has yet to pitch for the Mets. The Mets almost acquired starter Kenta Maeda from the Minnesota Twins but refused to take on Josh Donaldson’s full contract, which ended the talks right there.
For most Mets, fans the deadline was disappointing in a way because the New York Mets acquired Javier Baez, who hasn’t been the same since 2019 and has a 36.3 percent strikeout rate this season.Where Did Things Go Wrong For This Team
To make matters a lot worse, Bryce Harper hit a home run with Kris Bryant’s bat in the series against the Mets. Also, Baez exited the game on Sunday after taking a hack due to hip tightness.
Taijuan Walker continues to struggle through this rough stretch as he is prone to giving up home runs. Walker, who made his first All-Star appearance this year, holds a 7.65 ERA in his last four starts. To make matters even worse, the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves making some moves at the deadline may keep the Mets from making the playoffs.
After former Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler threw a complete game and only giving up two hits, the Mets’ abysmal road trip came to an end. The Phillies completed a three-game series sweep and turned a 4.5 game deficit into a 2.5 game lead over New York in the NL East over eight days. The Mets are also a game behind the Braves as the Mets went 1-7 in that span.
First baseman Pete Alonso had something to say for the frustrated Mets fanbase.
“Mets fans, believe in us. Don’t just believe, know. Because I understand these are tough times, not just in baseball but in life in general. Know that this is just a speed bump and a challenge. And also smile. You get to watch baseball. Even though we’re – it’s a game. I know we have the most passionate fanbase in baseball, and I understand that it’s frustrating. It’s frustrating for us. But just understand that we’re here together. We’re all in this together, and we – we got this. We got this. Just smile and know that we got this.” — Pete Alonso, New York Mets First Baseman
Mets fans have been through a lot of ups and downs in the Wilpons Era. For example, the previous owners not spending money, making the World Series, and trading away top prospects for players who haven’t had much impact.
The Mets are only 2.5 games out of first but have a steep hill to climb as the offense struggles to drive in runs with runners in scoring position. This may not be rock bottom for this squad as they face the Washington Nationals, the Mets will face the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in the next four series.
