Bad and weird things keep happening to the 2026 New York Mets, and those themes continued in their 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.

Austin Warren almost pulled a rabbit out of the hat, but still, he allowed a game-winning single to Oswald Peraza. There was a play that should’ve been challenged by the Mets early in the game that ended up costing them a run. Their best hitters did not come through on multiple occasions. Even Nolan McLean did not exactly pitch his best and went four innings. They all led to another game the Mets could’ve won, but for more than one reason, they didn’t. They seem to play the same game every day. The Mets also lost Ronny Mauricio to a fractured thumb.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Mets Don’t Challenge

In the first inning, after retiring the first two batters he faced, Nolan McLean allowed back-to-back singles to Nolan Schanuel and Jorge Soler, bringing up Jo Adell. Adell singled to right field, and Austin Slater actually threw out Soler as he tried to go to third base before Schanuel reached home plate. However, the home plate umpire ruled that Schanuel scored before the tag, and the Mets decided not to challenge. The play was reviewable, and if they had challenged, New York would’ve surely won and erased the Angels’ run. Alas, they did not, and Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead that they never should’ve had.

Bichette (Twice) & Soto Come Up Short in Big Spots

McLean allowed two more runs to score in the fourth inning, bringing the Mets down 3-1. For a while, the Mets had no answer for Angels starter Reid Detmers, as Bo Bichette‘s RBI single in the third inning was all the Mets could muster until the seventh inning, when New York started a rally. Mark Vientos started things off with a double. After a Marcus Semien single, Andy Ibáñez drove in Vientos with a sacrifice fly. Tyrone Taylor would tie the game with an RBI single of his own. Mauricio beat out an infield single by sliding into first base (which fractured his thumb in the process) to load the bases for Bichette and Soto.

Despite his RBI single from earlier, Bichette would have multiple big opportunities to put the Mets ahead. On the first occasion, he grounded into a forceout at home plate. Soto stepped up next and struck out swinging on a slider in just a four-pitch at-bat. The second shot for Bichette came with first and second and nobody out in the top of the tenth inning; he grounded into a double play. The Angels walked Soto, and then Alvarez would pop out to end the Mets’ tenth inning. With numerous starters out with injuries, the Mets need their big free agent signing from the last two offseasons to carry the load, and on Saturday night in big spots, they failed to do so.

No MVP Performance for Warren On This Day

With the game tied at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the tenth inning, the Mets called on Warren again in a big spot. He walked Soler, and then a single by Adell loaded the bases up with no outs and put Warren in a jam. He almost worked a miracle. A short line out to Carson Benge by Josh Lowe did not score the runner from third, and a short fly out to Benge by Vaughn Grissom got Warren one more out away from getting this game to the eleventh inning.

With two strikes, Oswald Peraza took a Warren curveball to left field for the game-winning hit. Two strikes and two outs, Warren was that close to getting out of it, but as has been the case so far in 2026, the Mets can’t get either the big hit or the big out.

Player of the Game: Tobias Myers

After McLean went only four innings, Tobias Myers gave the Mets 2 2/3 innings to keep them in the game, as he continues to be a reliable arm out of the bullpen.

Ronny Mauricio To The IL

Just one day after his heroics on Friday night, Mauricio now joins what is becoming a laundry list of everyday players on the Mets’ injured list, along with Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. Even Mike Tauchman could’ve made the roster if he hadn’t gotten hurt shortly before opening day. Manager Carlos Mendoza announced after the game that Mauricio fractured his hand on the slide to first base and will now go on the injured list, shortening the Mets’ depth even more.

On Deck

In the Sunday rubber game, the Mets will send Clay Holmes to pitch against the Angels’ Jack Kochanowicz. Game time is set for 4:07 pm and will be televised locally on SNY and broadcast on WHSQ at 880am.