The Mets’ grip on the postseason is fading fast.
Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Nationals was their 11th defeat in the last 15 games, and this one carried more weight than most. It dropped them into a tie with the Reds at 80-76 for the final NL Wild Card spot. The catch? Cincinnati owns the tiebreaker, leaving New York on the outside looking in. The Diamondbacks (79-77) lurk just one game back, while the Giants (77-79), Cardinals (76-80), and Marlins (76-80) remain alive.
Manager Carlos Mendoza is maintaining confidence in his players.
“We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got six more. A lot can happen. That’s where we’re at,” he said postgame on Sunday.“You look at the talent there, we’re one hit away, making one play, making one pitch. We’re close.”
“It’s a tough hill to climb right now, but the boys in here are ready for the challenge,” Sean Manaea, who struggled on the mound Sunday, said. “We just have to put things together. If anyone can do it, it’s us.”
Brandon Nimmo acknowledged the stakes:
“It’s been happening right in front of our eyes, so yeah, I can definitely believe it. We’re down to the last week of the season, and our playoff hopes are in front of us. We’ve got to play winning baseball.”
The urgency isn’t just in the standings — it’s in the small details. Little things, such as misplayed grounders and outfielder errors, have cost the Mets too many games, and they cannot afford any more. Francisco Lindor, one of the players who struggled defensively this weekend, said it bluntly:
“We’ve put ourselves in this position, so we’ve got to find a way to get out of it. If we want to be where we want to be, those things can’t happen. Full accountability on that. I have to be better.”
Every at-bat, pitch, and defensive play is magnified in these final six games. The Mets have little margin for error if they hope to keep their postseason dreams alive.
Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Cincinnati Reds (80-76)
The Reds have now won five consecutive games, capped by a huge 1-0 shutout win over Chicago on Sunday. Their surge has flipped the Wild Card race on its head, and Cincinnati now holds control over its own destiny. Before their winning streak, however, they were swept by the Oakland Athletics in a three-game set.
Remaining schedule: Home – Pirates (3); Away – Brewers (3)
New York Mets (80-76)
Remaining schedule: Away – Cubs (3), Marlins (3)
Arizona Diamondbacks (79-77), 1.0 GB
Arizona was riding its usual rollercoaster, alternating short winning streaks and losing streaks for the past month. They sit just one game behind both the Mets and Reds. However, they are currently on a little hot streak, having taken two of three in three straight series against the Twins, Giants, and Phillies.
Remaining schedule: Home – Dodgers (3); Away – Padres (3)
San Francisco Giants (77-79), 3.0 GB
San Francisco still has a path to the postseason, but must play near-perfect baseball and hope for collapses in front of them. They close with six games at Oracle Park.
Remaining schedule: Home – Cardinals (3), Rockies (3)
St. Louis Cardinals (76-80), 4.0 GB
Like the Giants, the Cardinals will need a miracle to sneak in. They finish on the road against two solid clubs in the Giants and Cubs.
Remaining schedule: Away – Giants (3), Cubs (3)
Miami Marlins (76-80), 4.0 GB
Miami has played their way back into the race, winning ten of their last eleven, including back-to-back sweeps of the Rockies and Rangers. They’ll get a chance to deal a direct blow to New York in the final weekend of the season.
Remaining schedule: Home – Mets (3); Away — Phillies (3)
