Face it. The Mets can’t figure a way to beat the Yankees. They can’t do it at Citi Field or in the Bronx. With a Yankees makeshift lineup on the field Sunday, the Mets could not do it.

Sunday, they failed twice, and once again the question revolves around Edwin Diaz, the bullpen, and some of those defensive miscues. Throwing bad pitches, or making errors against the Yankees in the Bronx is a no-no.

It leads to a disaster. So, Instead of taking four of five, or possibly a sweep of the Yankees, it will take Jacob deGrom to break this three game skid Monday night at Citi Field in a makeup game against the Marlins at Citi Field.

So, this writer feels the pain of every Mets fan. The pain will last a long time. Edwin Diaz failed again, and pardon from this perspective what was said about Diaz days ago:

The headline, “EDWIN DIAZ RIGHT WHERE HE SHOULD BE”

Got that right, the correction, Edwin Diaz is right where he was and contributing to the pain for every Mets fan. The slider and fastball these past two weeks did resemble those 57 saves with the Mariners.

The slider Sunday, well that didn’t work. In that at bat to Aaron Hicks, one of many struggling in the Yankees lineup the sequence was five fastballs. One slider to Hicks, resulting in the game- tying two-run homer. 

Then, the walk-off single to Gio Urshela in the eighth inning.

The Mets lost 8-7, a game they had. In this 60-game season, a loss of pain. Same in Game 2, eight-innings of agony and further diminishing hopes for the Mets.

Diaz is one issue. Fielding error (Andres Gimenez), a walk and that Luke Voit two-run single against the shift, no doubt an analytical move. From there, Luis Rojas brings Diaz to the mound.

Rojas said about Diaz,“We still trust him. We still love his stuff. He’s going to get the ball. When there’s a tight situation, when there’s tense situations like that.”

Mets fans don’t want to hear that. They want Edwin Diaz out of here,

So every time it looks like the Mets are going to get over the hump, and it looks that way with these three certain wins, it’s Diaz or another thing that hurts them.

Go figure, Gary Sanchez with that .123 average. The  extra inning and massive grand slam home off Drew Smith. That hurt more than the Diaz fiasco.

And with Seth Lugo in the rotation, Diaz is the closer whether you like it or not. Losing Dellin Betances and Steven Matz to injuries is another part of a lost weekend in the Bronx. 

Basically, the Yankees and that stadium are a jinx for the Mets. There is one game remaining with these borough rivals, Thursday, at Citi Field  Now the Mets are four games under .500 and need to rebound against the Marlins and the  Orioles before the Yankees. 

The trading deadline is Monday. Obviously the Mets are in need of pitching. Starter, in the bullpen, and possibly a catcher as were the rumors Sunday night.

And there are no deals that are imminent, unless of course, the Mets want to part ways with Edwin Diaz. They would need to get something good in return that would keep them in contention down the stretch.

It has been this bizarre and abbreviated 2020 season. Anything is possible.  

Oh, there is some optimism after the Sunday debacle. Steve Cohen, could assume ownership. That is what Mets fans have been looking for. For sure, they no longer want Edwin Diaz on the mound in those tight situations.

Regardless, Sunday, two of those games that you can’t forget. Losing two games that will remain for a long time, the worst Subway Series debacle for the Mets in the Bronx. That first game was a probable top 10 loss in Mets history.

 The Mets need to forget and regroup. They will forget and put this in the past. But the sting will still be there after that doubleheader sweep and optimism that came Friday night. 

A sting more for Mets fans. Edwin Diaz, he lost more fans. And with that trading deadline, with this unusual season, you can’t expect much or anything to assure there will be Mets baseball in October.