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Mets dig an even deeper hole with a bumbling homestand

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3 months ago

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NEW YORK — The homestand that could have saved the Mets’ season only made it worse.

New York dropped the rubber game of its three-game set to the Washington Nationals on Thursday, blowing a late lead in a 5-4 loss. C.J. Abrams’ missile launch of a two-run home run off a hanging changeup from Luke Weaver in the eighth was the difference.

The Mets entered this homestand with Juan Soto about to return and matchups against the Twins, Rockies and Nationals — a trio that combined to lose more than 300 games last season. Three series wins wouldn’t have turned New York’s dismal season around, but it would have temporarily stopped the bleeding.

Instead, the Mets lost six of nine and two more key players to the injured list, including Francisco Lindor for a significant period. It would have been hard to imagine them worse off than when they returned home at 7-15. Here we are.

The Mets’ 10-21 start is their worst since 1981 and sits alone as the third-worst in franchise history. It is two games — two games — behind the pace of the expansion ’62 Mets.

“Not good enough, obviously. Not a secret,” said manager Carlos Mendoza, whose job status is questioned after every loss. “That’s not going to do it. We’ve got to start winning series, period.”

The Mets have lost 17 of their past 20 games, their worst 20-game stretch since 2018. They have endured 3-17 stretches in 13 different seasons; none of those teams finished above .500. (But hey, two National League teams in the past decade have lost 17 of 20 and recovered to win the pennant: the 2017 Dodgers and 2023 Diamondbacks.)

“We sit there and we tell you guys, ‘It’ll come. This is the game. This is the law of averages,’” said Weaver. “But those words just don’t hold the same weight when you continue to (lose) day after day.”

The thing is, 31 games into this season, it’s fair to question what these Mets do well, if anything.

Carson Benge couldn’t get to this ball despite a dive during the ninth inning. (Heather Khalifa / Getty Images)

The offense remains a mess. Soto’s return has provided a centerpiece, but even a red-hot Soto can only do so much. Over the past two days, he went 5-for-8 with a homer, two doubles and a walk. He was also robbed of a home run in Thursday’s first inning by an incredible leaping catch from Washington’s James Wood. Soto scored three runs in those two games; the rest of the team scored three.

Take Thursday’s eighth inning. Soto led off with a long double off the center-field wall against Richard Lovelady. Mendoza decided to pinch hit for MJ Melendez — who’d delivered the team’s biggest hit of the day with a three-run homer in the third and has been the only player besides Soto in any kind of offensive rhythm — with Austin Slater for the platoon matchup. Slater grounded out, Mark Vientos lined out, and Tyrone Taylor flied out. Soto didn’t advance beyond second base.

The Mets started six players Thursday who carried a season-long OPS below .600 coming into the day. That doesn’t include Mark Vientos’ .630 to start action. The league average is .714.

The pitching staff does not escape culpability. The back half of the rotation has routinely been non-competitive. The back end of the bullpen has not locked down the few games the Mets lead into the later innings. New York lost Thursday despite leading after six innings; no team has a worse record when leading after six innings than the Mets’ 6-4. (Entering play Thursday, the other 29 teams were 333-55 in that situation, a winning percentage of .858.)

The defense, while improved year over year, is not a standout strength. In a one-run game, Wood’s home-run robbery saved the Nats a run and starter Freddy Peralta’s throwing error in the second inning cost him two runs.

You can blame Mendoza for decisions like pinch hitting Slater on Thursday and for the persistent inability to reverse a negative trendline since last June. You can blame David Stearns for a roster that isn’t nearly as deep as the Mets believed it was at the start of the season. New York has not been able to withstand a position-player parade to the injured list that wasn’t necessarily unforeseeable, given the durability issues of several players the club brought in over the offseason.

And as this snowball has rolled in the wrong direction, the Mets have become as clear an example of a team pressing day after day as you’ll see in the sport. They chase. They miss mistake pitches. They make too many mistakes of their own.

“The freedom with which we play day-to-day is being suffocated a little bit,” Weaver said Thursday. “The magnification just becomes immense, and sleep is lost and the mind wanders and you get into a fixation that you don’t need to be in. The answer is simplifying the process and maybe doing less and enjoying why you do this for a living.”

They will try to find that answer now out west, with a nine-game trip to Anaheim, Denver and Phoenix. The Mets have to do it without Lindor and others.

“It’s not early anymore,” Mendoza said. “We have to turn this thing around. … There are no other choices here.”

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How to watch Orioles vs. Rangers: TV channel and streaming options for August 8

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2 minutes ago

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August 8, 2026

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The Texas Rangers take a three-game winning streak into a home matchup versus the Baltimore Orioles at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday. Jacob deGrom (7-7, 3.96 ERA) will start for the Rangers, who are 58-58 this season and second in the AL West. Kyle Bradish (7-10, 3.79 ERA) is expected to start for the Orioles, who are 56-60 and fourth in the AL East.

How to watch Baltimore Orioles vs. Texas Rangers

Orioles vs. Rangers odds

  • Favorite Moneyline: Rangers -154
  • Underdog Moneyline: Orioles +125
  • Total: 7.5
  • Total Over Odds: +100
  • Total Under Odds: -120

Injury reports

Rangers

Kyle Higashioka: 10 Day IL (Flexor tendon), Josh Jung: 10 Day IL (Calf), Jose Corniell: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Jack Leiter: 15 Day IL (Ankle), Jakob Junis: 15 Day IL (Groin), Danny Jansen: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Robert Garcia: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jalen Beeks: 60 Day IL (Back), Michael Helman: 60 Day IL (Hand), Carter Baumler: 60 Day IL (Ribs)

Orioles

Samuel Basallo: 10 Day IL (Shoulder), Blaze Alexander: 10 Day IL (Hand), Zach Eflin: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Felix Bautista: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Keegan Akin: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Chris Bassitt: 60 Day IL (Back), Ryan Helsley: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Ryan Mountcastle: 60 Day IL (Foot), Jordan Westburg: 60 Day IL (Ucl), Colin Selby: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)

Stats to know

  • Ezequiel Duran is hitting for a .274 BA, .328 OBP and .457 SLG with a 23.4% strikeout rate and a 7.1% walk rate. His OPS is .785 and he has scored 51 runs. In 406 plate appearances, he has hit 13 home runs and driven in 63 runs. Duran has been crafty on the base paths, recording nine steals on 11 attempts.
  • In 465 plate appearances, Brandon Nimmo has hit 12 long balls, tallied 43 RBIs and scored 48 runs. He is batting .274/.342/.444 and has posted a 21.3% strikeout rate and an 8.2% walk rate. Nimmo has recorded six steals on seven attempts.
  • Pete Alonso has hit 23 home runs this season. He has also tallied 71 RBIs (14th in MLB) and has scored 68 runs. In 502 plate appearances, he has recorded a .247 BA, .341 OBP and .454 SLG with an 11.4% walk rate and a 24.9% strikeout rate.
  • In 522 plate appearances, Gunnar Henderson has hit 18 long balls, tallied 47 RBIs and scored 65 runs. He is batting .217/.297/.391 and has posted a 22.8% strikeout rate and an 8.6% walk rate. Henderson has recorded eight steals on 12 attempts.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images

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How to watch Storm vs. Fire: TV channel and streaming options for August 8

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8 minutes ago

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August 8, 2026

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Dominique Malonga leads the Seattle Storm (6-27) into a matchup against the Portland Fire (12-19) after putting up 31 points in a 92-86 loss to the Liberty. The game is on Saturday, August 8, 2026, tipping off at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV, FOX12+, CW Seattle, KOMO 4, and Amazon Prime Video.

How to watch Seattle Storm vs. Portland Fire

Seattle vs. Portland odds

  • Spread: Seattle -1.5 (-115), Portland +1.5 (-105)
  • Favorite Moneyline: Seattle -120
  • Underdog Moneyline: Portland +100
  • Total: 179.5
  • Total Over Odds: -110
  • Total Under Odds: -110

Injury reports

Storm

Katie Lou Samuelson: Questionable (Knee)

Fire

Sania Feagin: Out For Season (Knee),

Bridget Carleton: Probable (Foot),

Sarah Ashlee Barker: Out For Season (Knee),

Teja Oblak: Probable (Knee)

Stats to know

  • The 82.7 points per game the Storm record are 9.1 fewer points than the Fire give up (91.8).
  • Portland’s 86.5 points per game are just 1.8 fewer points than the 88.3 Seattle allows.
  • Flau’jae Johnson averages 13.9 points, 4.9 boards and 2.9 assists per contest, while shooting 39.2% from the field and 26.8% from downtown with 1.2 made treys per game.
  • Bridget Carleton puts up 14.3 points, 2.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Julio Aguilar, Ethan Miller, Steph Chambers / Getty Images

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How to watch Rays vs. Mariners: TV channel and streaming options for August 8

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14 minutes ago

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August 8, 2026

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The Tampa Bay Rays carry a four-game win streak into a home matchup versus the Seattle Mariners, at 9:50 p.m. ET on Saturday. George Kirby (8-9, 3.76 ERA) will start for the Mariners, who are 56-61 this season and third in the AL West. Griffin Jax (6-9, 3.63 ERA) is expected to start for the Rays, who are 69-46 and first in the AL East.

How to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs. Seattle Mariners

Rays vs. Mariners odds

  • Favorite Moneyline: Mariners -118
  • Underdog Moneyline: Rays -102
  • Total: 7
  • Total Over Odds: -105
  • Total Under Odds: -115

Injury reports

Mariners

Luke Raley: 10 Day IL (Elbow), J.P. Crawford: 10 Day IL (Wrist), Matt Brash: 15 Day IL (Lat), Cole Wilcox: 15 Day IL (Oblique), Cooper Criswell: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Will Wilson: 60 Day IL (Thumb), Logan Evans: 60 Day IL (Arm), Carlos Vargas: 60 Day IL (Lat)

Rays

Ben Williamson: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Cole Sulser: 15 Day IL (Back), Shane McClanahan: 15 Day IL (Back), Jake Fraley: 60 Day IL (Groin), Manuel Rodriguez: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Ryan Pepiot: 60 Day IL (Hip), Gavin Lux: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jon Heasley: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Edwin Uceta: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)

Stats to know

  • Randy Arozarena is hitting for a .282 BA, .376 OBP and .451 SLG with a 20.8% strikeout rate and a 9.7% walk rate. His OPS is .827 and he has scored 73 runs. In 466 plate appearances, he has hit 14 home runs and driven in 49 runs. Arozarena has been crafty on the base paths, recording 20 steals on 26 attempts.
  • In 458 plate appearances, Julio Rodriguez is hitting .260/.323/.429 with a .752 OPS and 15 steals on 18 attempts. He has hit 18 long balls, driven in 51 runs and scored 54 times.
  • Junior Caminero is hitting for a .283 BA, .375 OBP and .556 SLG with an 18.1% strikeout rate and a 12.5% walk rate. His OPS is .931, which ranks 5th in MLB, and he has scored 70 runs. In 502 plate appearances, he has hit 33 home runs (2nd in MLB) and driven in 71 runs (14th in MLB).
  • In 485 plate appearances, Yandy Diaz has slashed .296/.369/.452 this season. He has hit 15 long balls and driven in 64 runs with a strikeout rate of 14.8% and a walk rate of 8.9%. and has scored 61 runs.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images

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