It’s still only two games in the loss column, as poorly as the Mets have played for a month now, so why does it feel as if they’re miles out of first place in the NL East with only the slimmest of hopes of ever getting back on top?
In truth, the better question to ask is probably this: What evidence has this team offered to make you think it is capable of putting together a significant winning streak before it’s too late?
If anything, the 14-4 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field Sunday night was all the more reason to think there’s a better chance the Mets fall out of this race than overtake the Braves or Phillies any time soon.
And not just because it got so lopsided that multiple position players — Brandon Drury and Kevin Pillar — pitched the ninth inning, with mostly Dodgers fans remaining in the ballpark by then, giddily cheering on the onslaught.
No, it started much earlier. Carlos Carrasco was bombed for six runs in two innings, raising his ERA to 10.32 in his four starts since returning from his season-long hamstring injury. The Mets desperately need him to pitch like the No. 2 starter they thought they were getting in the trade with the Cleveland Indians, but there is no indication he’ll be that guy in 2021.
And then there’s the dreaded offense. It’s far from a fluke at this point when the Mets don’t hit, especially with runners on base, but they managed to lower the bar on a night when the Dodgers were playing as if they had one collective foot on the airplane back to LA.
It was rather shocking to see the defending world champs make mistake after mistake in the early innings, both mental and physical, to repeatedly open the door for the Mets to get back into a 6-0 game.
Suffice it to say it wasn’t so shocking to see the home team fail to take advantage of the opportunities. The Mets left seven runners on base in the first four innings, and the two runs they scored during those innings were both on ground outs, conceded by the Dodgers because they had a big lead.
In addition, according to an MLB scout I checked in with during the game, Max Scherzer was at least somewhat vulnerable in those early innings as well.
“He made some mistake-pitches early that the Mets let him get away with in big situations,” the scout said. “It’s really hard to believe how bad they have been as situational hitters all season. They’re not a good offensive team overall but they’re worse with runners on base.
“A lot of times they look in-between with some of their swings, even ahead in the count, like they’re guessing or maybe just overthinking. I have to believe it’s gotten into their heads.”
How else to explain it? When Pete Alonso doubled in the third inning with Michael Conforto on first base, the hit ended an 0-for-25 stretch by the Mets with runners on base.
In addition, ESPN analyst Alex Rodriguez pointed out that the Mets had only 14 sacrifice flies on the season (they reached 15 later in the game), the lowest total by any team in the majors.
With that in mind, A-Rod was critical at times during the Sunday night telecast, and at other times seemingly befuddled at the Mets’ failures to cash in on the potential giveaways by the Dodgers’ defense.
In particular, he cited Dominic Smith’s first-inning at-bat with runners at first and third. A mental blunder by catcher Will Smith, throwing to third on Alonso’s dribbler in front of the plate, had given the Mets a golden opportunity, and then after getting ahead 1-2 in the count, Scherzer threw a fat slider that Smith fouled off.
“You cannot miss that pitch,” A-Rod said. “It’s 88 (mph) and it’s middle-middle. It’s the last pitch you’re going to get that was hittable.”
Sure enough, Scherzer proceeded to get Smith to chase a changeup at his shoe tops, popping out weakly to the infield, then got Jeff McNeil to fly out to left field on a changeup as well.
And so it went, as the Dodgers escaped their horrendous defense and coasted to the win and the three-game sweep of the series. Looking at the series in entirety, the Mets had great chances to win extra-inning games on Friday and Saturday, but again the failure to deliver a clutch hit left them wondering about what might have been.
For the series, the Mets went 2-for-29 with runners in scoring position. And they hit only one home run in the three games.
So here’s the bottom line: They are 0-3 in this stretch of 13 straight games against the Dodgers and the Giants, arguably the two best teams in the National League, and the next seven of them are on the road, where the Mets are 23-35 this season.
Furthermore, the schedule works against them in another big way, with the Braves and especially the Phillies facing a much easier level of opponents in September. Indeed, the only teams Philly plays at home in September are the Orioles, Pirates, Cubs, and Rockies — teams that are a combined 73-159 in road games.
Finally, lest anyone forget: Jacob deGrom won’t be back until late September, if he makes it back at all.
With all of that in mind, let’s put it this way: The standings are practically a pretty picture compared to the current reality that is the state of the Mets.