From Hot Start to Hard Fall: Mets Running Out of Excuses

Whether you still believe in the New York Mets or not, there’s one thing all fans can agree on: this team is struggling. Badly. Prior to June 13, their issues were hidden behind one of the best starts in baseball, powered by an unlikely dominant rotation and a lights-out bullpen. Then the tightrope snapped.

If you’re a Mets fan, you’ve seen this show before. In 2007, they entered September with a seven-game lead in the National League East, only to collapse with a 5–12 finish. In 2022, they needed just one win against the Braves to clinch the division — instead, they were swept and lost the tiebreaker.

So, does this current stretch of brutal baseball mirror those collapses? Or is it a deeper, more systemic problem? In this article, we take a deep dive into the areas where the Mets have gone wrong.

Mets’ Struggles Reaching a Breaking Point

Accountability Issues

Since June 13, the Mets have had one of the worst records in baseball. But if you listen to the team’s leaders, you’d think they’ve just lost a couple of games and will “figure it out soon.” After nearly every frustrating loss, we hear the same empty comments: “We have good hitters, they’re going to find their rhythm.” Or, “We’re better than this.”

This isn’t a direct call-out of hitting coach Eric Chavez — though, whether people want to admit it or not, he could be part of the problem — it’s more about the fact that we’ve seen nothing to suggest meaningful change is coming. The offense has been struggling since Opening Day on March 27. That early dominance on the mound just masked it.

Since June 13, the Mets and Yankees have two of the four worst records in MLB pic.twitter.com/DAhJSD75bp

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2025

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The real problem with the Mets’ hitting coaches is their approach at the plate, especially with the young core. Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos all lit up Triple-A, yet haven’t shown a hint of that success in the majors. After a slow start this season, the Mets sent Alvarez down to the minors to work on his confidence and plate discipline. He responded by hitting 11 home runs in just 16 games, showing the same swing that worked for him in 2022.

That’s why this is so concerning for Chavez and the Mets; most of the bottom of the order is made up of young, inexperienced players who play every day, and they still haven’t found consistent success. Chavez’s mission is to turn raw power bats like Alvarez and Vientos into well-rounded hitters. In theory, that’s fine, but in reality, it’s stalled their development, forcing them to change the exact game that once made them great. It’s why Alvarez doesn’t look like the same dangerous bat anymore.

“I told him, ‘Last year you hit 25 homers. Did you think it was a good year? Because I didn’t,” Chavez said of Alvarez’s 2024 struggles.

Before last night’s game against the Brewers, reporters asked acting team president David Stearns whether the hitting struggles were the coaches’ fault.

“No. I have confidence in our hitting coaches. I think we have good hitting coaches.”

Again, this isn’t saying someone should be fired. But the Mets front office keeps giving the same “we’re confident” speech, while we’ve seen nothing change. When the Mets struggled under Terry Collins, he stood at the podium and demanded player accountability. Right now, this team needs that same fire lit under them — and we haven’t seen it.

Hitting Struggles

There’s no sugarcoating it: the Mets’ offense has been one of the worst in baseball since June 13. In that stretch, they’ve scored just 3.91 runs per game (worst in MLB) while batting .224 (second-worst). Even their on-base numbers don’t save them — a .666 OPS ranks 29th.

And it’s not just the bottom of the order. What Steve Cohen once called the “Fab Four” — Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo — has been the biggest concern. On paper, it’s one of the most talented quartets in baseball: a generational hitter, a top shortstop, one of the best power bats of the last decade, and an on-base machine.

Last 20 Games:

This slump goes beyond the last 20 games — it’s been nearly two straight months of it. The Mets are a team that thrives when everyone is clicking. We just haven’t seen that, outside of rare bursts once every few games.

Starting Pitching — Not the Real Issue

Through the first month, the Mets’ pitching staff owned a 2.36 ERA, best in baseball. Even now, they still have one of the league’s better marks at 3.65, which undercuts the idea that starting pitching is the team’s main weakness.

Yes, they’ve struggled to get deep into games, especially Kodai Senga. Before his June injury, Senga had a sub-1.50 ERA, but rarely pitched past the fifth inning. Since returning, his command has slipped, and small jams have snowballed into bigger problems. Clay Holmes has faced similar issues with length, but his results have been far better than expected.

The breakout story has been David Peterson. The 29-year-old made his first All-Star team in 2025, leading the Mets with a 2.98 ERA, 112 strikeouts, and 133 innings pitched.

Stearns built this rotation with patience in mind. Instead of committing huge money to arms like Max Fried or Corbin Burnes — both with injury histories — the Mets opted for short-term deals while waiting for top pitching prospects to arrive. Taking a chance on Frankie Montas has backfired, but signing Griffin Canning for $4 million was a steal.

Final Thoughts

The New York Mets are still making the playoffs — that’s the bottom line. Even with all their struggles, the Mets are just 3 1/2 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East and hold a four-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants for a Wild Card spot.

Whether you blame the coaching staff, the front office, or the players, one thing is clear: if something doesn’t change soon, accountability has to be taken.

Main Photo Credit: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

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