Mets Collapse: Postseason Dreams Fade Against the Marlins
Miami, Florida – The New York Mets’ fate in the regular season depended on a single game: beating the Miami Marlins. However, the New York team, after a disappointing three-and-a-half-month streak, failed to achieve its goal, falling 4-0 at LoanDepot Park and watching their playoff hopes vanish on the last day. Even though the Cincinnati Reds lost their game, a win would have secured a postseason spot for the Mets as the third and final National League wild card. But, the loss knocked them out. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expressed his frustration: “It’s hard to describe… it’s pain, it’s frustration. We had high expectations and we’re going home. We not only fell short, we didn’t even make it to October.” Francisco Lindor, the team’s shortstop, added: “It depended on us, on me, on the players, and we didn’t achieve it.” The team, which seemed headed for a successful season after its outstanding performance in the National League the previous year, invested in big names during the offseason. Juan Soto was the star signing, accompanied by the renewal of Pete Alonso and other key additions. On June 12, after 69 games, the Mets were leading the league. However, their performance declined drastically, with a record of 38-55 for the rest of the season.Injuries to key pitchers, such as Kodai Senga, and a rotation that couldn’t maintain consistent performance, along with an overworked bullpen and an inconsistent offense, contributed to the team’s failure.“It’s more than frustrating… It’s disappointing. And there’s no way to sugarcoat it. A team with a lot of talent and the reality is that we fell short. We didn’t even make it to October,” commented Pete Alonso.
Pete Alonso
On Friday, Brandon Sproat, one of the rookies who debuted in the last few weeks, allowed four runs in a loss against the Marlins. The next day, Clay Holmes had an outstanding performance as a starter, but on Sunday, Sean Manaea, who signed a $75 million contract, couldn’t meet expectations. The Marlins scored the only four runs of the game in the fourth inning. The Mets had opportunities to get closer, but they failed to capitalize on them. In the fifth inning, with the bases loaded, Pete Alonso hit a hard line drive that was caught by left fielder Javier Sanoja. Three batters later, Francisco Alvarez struck out, frustrating comeback hopes. With their last chance, Lindor grounded into a double play, sealing the Mets’ defeat.“We had some tough times with our rotation. They got injured. They were up and down. They were incredible at first and then they started getting injured and that’s when everything started to fall,” Soto said.
Juan Soto
“It’s a failure. Every time you don’t make the playoffs or don’t win a championship, it’s a failure. That’s how we see it, and that’s how we’re going to spend the offseason,” Soto affirmed.
Juan Soto
