Player Data: Age: 35 (08/21/1987) B/T: R/R

Primary Stats: 120 G, 495 PA, .235/.320/.406, 102 H, 16 HR, 69 RBI
Advanced Stats: 108 wRC+, 28.5 K%, 9.9 BB%, .308 BABIP, .356 xwOBA (.318 wOBA), 0.6 fWAR

2024 Salary: $12 million

Grade: C-

2024 Review

The Mets signed J.D. Martinez to a one-year, $12 million deal less than a week before Opening Day. The idea was to add some thump to a Mets lineup that sorely needed it.

And, for much of the year, Martinez provided that. Given his age and how late he signed, he didn’t debut with the Mets until April 26. But he shined through most of the early part of the season, posting a 133 wRC+ in May and a 149 wRC+ in June. He swatted nine of his eventual 16 home runs in those two months alone.

If the season were to end after June, he’d probably get at least a B or a B+. His wRC+ was right around his career mark of 130, along with the 135 he put up in 113 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.

Gradually, though, Martinez cooled off. He only hit two homers in July, to go along with a .235 average. He was fairly average with the bat in both July and August, posting wRC+ marks of 98 and 106 in the two months, respectively. His production was still valuable, but fairly underwhelming based on how he started the campaign. His power returned in August with five homers, but he only hit .217 with a .294 OBP.

Then September happened. In 63 plate appearances between September and October (regular season only), Martinez went just 6-for-55 with no home runs, good for a 17 wRC+. His lack of production at the end of the season took a big hit to his overall numbers, bringing his season wRC+ almost all the way down to league average.

Aside from the shortened 2020 season (54 games), a 108 wRC+ was Martinez’s worst since 2013, when he was still a Houston Astro. Same goes for his WAR.

Remember, in 2018, Martinez was a legitimately elite bat. He hit .330 with a 170 wRC+ that year for the Boston Red Sox. Though regression is to be expected with age, he’d still been a well above average bat for the last several years — and even for the first half of his season with the Mets.

Additionally concerning was Martinez’s .171 ISO, which was also his lowest since 2013 (this time, including 2020). In fairness, though, he also had comparable power numbers in 2022, a year fueled by a much higher BABIP (.345 compared to .308 this year). His strikeout and walk rates this year were more or less in line with his career norms.

Martinez briefly woke up in the postseason, going 4-for-14 with three RBIs in the first two series. He went 0-for-4 between two games in the NLCS against the Dodgers, but with two walks in each game. His postseason average ended up at .222 with no extra-base hits. The six walks he drew in the playoffs gave him a .417 OBP in the very limited sample. Overall, he was mostly a non-factor one way or the other in the postseason.

A C- felt fair for Martinez given that he underwhelmed his expectations, but still provided value to the Mets for a significant portion of the season. A C or C+ probably would have been too generous, considering how poorly he finished and that his overall numbers noticeably declined from recent years. But anything in the D range would have been too harsh, considering how good Martinez was for about half the season.

2025 Overview

Martinez’s days in the orange and blue are probably over, unless he wants to return in the hitting coach role that people have half-seriously quipped about. Plus, if the Mets make their Juan Soto dreams a reality, there won’t be much of a pressing need for Martinez. The question of whether they bring Pete Alonso back could also play into that (though Martinez isn’t reliable enough at his age now to simply “replace” Alonso’s spot in the lineup).

While his career is evidently winding down, he has indicated that he wants to keep playing. Martinez originally signed with the Mets because he was “addicted to the playoffs,” so it’s most likely he’ll want to pursue negotiations with another playoff contender. That could still be the Mets, especially if he struggles to garner interest, but it certainly won’t be the primary focus of the offseason for either side.

And, in all reality, it’s hard to imagine Martinez putting up a wRC+ in the 130 range over a full season again. But some team, on another one-year deal, will likely try to milk any last juice out of him in 2025.

The post 2024 Mets Report Card: J.D. Martinez, DH appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

“We had a great game plan heading into tonight,” Jesse Winker said. “Francisco, Nimmo, and Pete really set the tone in the first inning. Francisco starting us off with a bullet, Nimmo puts together a great at-bat, and Pete hits a ball off the ground into the apple. So that was pretty sick.”

Jeff McNeil. Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The approach not only worked, but was historic. The Mets became the 11th team to play a postseason game without striking out, joining the 2002 Angels who were the last team to do it in the World Series against the Giants.

Five different Mets’ had multi-hit games with Pete Alonso and Starling Marte leading the charge with a combined six runs batted in on their way to a 12-6 victory on Friday evening. Francisco Alvarez has been under fire the first four games of the NLCS with lackluster at-bats in key situations, but the 22-year-old  silenced his critics for the time being with a crucial three-hit performance out of the nine-hole.

“Just be short to the ball, be early”, Alvarez said. “If I can hit the fastball it is going to be easier to read the other pitches… They are very happy (Mendoza and Marte) because I am doing good. Marte tells me to keep going and Mendy says let’s keep going, same time tomorrow.”

One of the more intriguing decisions Carlos Mendoza made ahead of Game 5 was electing to start Winker and Jeff McNeil against Jack Flaherty. J.D. Martinez has not been able to find his groove in this series, but Winker has consistently put together quality at-bats when given the opportunity. He was one of the few Mets to record a hit in Game 1, but made his presence known in Game 5 with two hits and three runs.

The same can be said for Jose Iglesias struggling at the plate this series and with McNeil fully healthy he was able to find a spot in the starting lineup for Game 5. McNeil contributed to the offensive attack with a pair of quality at-bats that drove in two runs on sacrifice flies, as he continues to find a groove quickly.

“I feel good, I felt like I took good at-bats today”, McNeil said. “Big game Sunday, obviously must win. The boys are gonna come to play and try to force a Game 7”.

Jack Flaherty previously shut down the Mets lineup in Game 1 only surrendering two hits in seven innings, but the Mets completely flipped the switch in Game 5. With the Dodgers looking to get length out of Flaherty they managed to knock him out of the game in the third inning after giving up eight earned runs over 75 pitches. With the Dodgers seeming to pitch a bullpen game for Game 6 on Sunday, here are a few key names that were used in Game 2 for the same situation: Ryan Brasier, Landon Knack, Anthony Banda, and Edgardo Henriquez.

The post Mets Offense Breaks Out To Force Game 6 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Martinez slumped through September but went 4-for-14 over the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Dodgers are starting right-hander Walker Buehler in Game 3 so it is a mini-surprise that Mendoza said “there’s a good chance” Martinez will get the nod at designated hitter over left-handed hitting Jesse Winker.

Photo by: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Other News & Notes From Mendoza’s Press Conference

Jose Quintana is officially the Game 4 starter, and Mendoza said “we’ll see” was his word on whether Kodai Senga would get the Game 5 start. It probably depends on the situation of the series and whether Senga’s mechanics feel right, which he pinpointed as a concern following his rough Game 1.

Mendoza also weighed in on Francisco Lindor being left out Tuesday as one of three finalists for the Gold Glove award at shortstop. The finalists are Dansby Swanson, Masyn Winn and Ezequiel Tovar.

“If you ask (Lindor), the one thing he’ll tell you is he’s not here to win personal awards,” Mendoza said. “He’s here to win the whole thing, which is the World Series, and that’s his goal.” However, he added: “He’s an elite defender. I was shocked that he wasn’t even in the finals.”

In other news, the Mets will wear their black uniforms in Game 3, a call made by starter Luis Severino: “I like black,” he said.

The post ‘Good Chance’ J.D. Martinez Plays Game 3; Senga’s Game 5 Status Unsure appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Here is what the potential roster will look like for the Mets when they head over to the West Coast:

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Starters & Bench (13)

1. Francisco Alvarez
2. Pete Alonso
3. Jose Iglesias
4. Francisco Lindor
5. Mark Vientos
6. Brandon Nimmo
7. Harrison Bader
8. Starling Marte
9. Luis Torrens
10. J.D. Martinez
11. Tyrone Taylor
12. Jeff McNeil
13. Jesse Winker

The biggest change that we could theoretically see among the position players is McNeil replacing Luisangel Acuña. While Acuña had some big moments for the Mets at the end of the regular season, McNeil was able to find his stride before injuring his wrist in early September, and given that he is a veteran, it’s more than likely that he will replace the rookie. McNeil is also able to provide another much-needed left-handed bat either off the bench or in the starting lineup given the potential match-ups the Mets may have to contend with.

Rotation (4)

1. Luis Severino
2. Sean Manaea
3. Jose Quintana
4. Kodai Senga

No surprises here. After the Mets made Senga the Game One starter in the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, he returns for the NLCS with another potential series-opening start looming. His pitch limit is unknown, but it’s reasonable to expect him to go for about two innings like he did in Philadelphia. Manaea, Severino and Quintana will all be well-rested for their turns in the rotation, and it remains to be seen how the team will line up their outings.

Bullpen (9)

1. Edwin Díaz
2. David Peterson
3. Tylor Megill
4. Phil Maton
5. Ryne Stanek
6. Reed Garrett
7. Jose Buttó
8. Adam Ottavino
9. Danny Young

There are no changes here, but McNeil could replace either Ottavino or Young if the Mets opt to keep Acuña around for his glove and base-running. Both pitchers have been a part of the roster for the entirety of the postseason up to this point, though neither has made an appearance.

Peterson has been incredible coming out of the bullpen, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings across three games after thriving in the rotation all season. Another major contributor for the Mets bullpen has been Stanek, who has only given up two hits in 4 1/3 innings. Manager Carlos Mendoza has received excellent starting pitching thus far, and he will have a fully-rested bullpen at his disposal for the first time in the playoffs once Game One rolls around.

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A number of critical factors went into a statement Game 1 win on Tuesday. Luis Severino‘s gutsy start. Jose Iglesias‘ all-time hustle play. A monster five-run fifth inning. Huge hits from the previously slumping Jesse Winker and J.D. Martinez. An electric outing from the bullpen. More management mastery from Carlos Mendoza.

However, today is a new day, and the focus will now switch to finishing off the job and avoiding a Game 3. If the Mets want to do that and advance to the NLDS, here are five compelling storylines to watch out for in Game 2…

5 STORYLINES TO WATCH

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

SCORING EARLY 

It will behoove the Mets to finish the job in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Should they win Game 2 and sweep the series, they would get a few days off. The NLDS against the Phillies isn’t scheduled to start until Saturday. Given that New York has played six games in five days heading into Wednesday, the extra rest would be hugely beneficial for many reasons. And the key to completing the sweep will be a fast start. In what is a must-win game for the home team, the Mets must come out early and put runs on the board.

That would pile the pressure on the Brewers and drive up the nerves inside American Family Field. In turn, opposing batters will likely take more risks the longer the game goes on. That should play directly into the Mets’ hands. As a result, starting fast and furious will be key to earning the win in Game 2.

GOING DEEP

Luis Severino gave the Mets six innings in Game 1, but they were a tough slog of six innings. Sean Manaea‘s job in Game 2 will be to go as long into the game as possible. If he can do that, and if the Mets can pull out the win, then the bullpen should be well-rested by the time the NLDS starts on Saturday. However, it won’t be easy. Manaea laid a clunker in his last start, coming against the Brewers. He gave up six runs – five earned – on seven hits in just 3 2/3 innings. A disaster like that can’t happen again in Game 2. Manaea will have to be almost perfect against a dangerous Milwaukee lineup, and giving his team six or seven innings will also be crucial.

BULLPEN REINFORCEMENTS 

Both Phil Maton and Edwin Díaz were unavailable for Game 1 on Tuesday. Maton threw on three consecutive days to end the regular season. Díaz, meanwhile, tossed a total of 66 pitches over two days on Sunday and Monday. As such, the duo could not be touched in Game 1. The good news, however, is that both relievers should be available for Game 2. Díaz is dealing with soreness, but he’s expected to be good to go on Wednesday. That’s crucial because, with the Brewers needing to win to stay alive, the Mets will almost certainly need their frontline relievers at some point in Game 2. If the game remains close, both Maton and Díaz should have big roles to play late on.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

STOP THE RUN

The Brewers’ run game is formidable. The Mets can attest to that. They lost the first two games of their final regular season series against Milwaukee because of their inability to stop the run. They had problems stopping it early in Game 1, too. The Brewers were aggressive on the basepaths in the opening innings, forcing the Mets into defensive errors and racing out to a 2-0 lead.

However, after settling into the game, New York did a good job of containing Milwaukee’s speed the rest of the way. That might be harder to do in Game 2, though. After all, the Brewers ranked second in the majors during the regular season with 217 stolen bases. They also boast a slew of speed demons and six players who have at least 18 stolen bags this year. Plus, needing to win to stay alive, the Brewers will no doubt be even more uber-aggressive and take more risks on the basepaths in order to make the Mets uncomfortable. Stopping an elite run game will be critical for the Mets if they want to advance on Wednesday.

STEPPING UP

It would be a huge advantage for the Mets if their core can step up and play to the back of their baseball cards in Game 2. Francisco Lindor is clearly still not a 100% despite his memorable home run against the Braves. Pete Alonso drew three walks on Tuesday but has hit just three home runs since Sep. 13. Brandon Nimmo is due for a statement game this time of year. Additionally, Francisco Alvarez went 0-for-4 in Game 1. You need your best players to rise to the moment in the postseason, and the Mets will need their big hitters to lead the way and get the job done in Game 2.

The post Five Compelling Mets Storylines For Game 2 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Luis Severino‘s gutsy outing. Jose Iglesias‘ all-time heart and hustle play that started a monstrous five-run fifth inning. Carlos Mendoza pushing all the right buttons in key moments. An electric outing from the bullpen.

All those factors were critical in New York pulling out a statement win and moving a step closer to advancing to the NLDS.

And, yet, arguably the most important ingredient in the Game 1 win was the clutch hits the Mets got from their two designated hitters.

Photo by Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

COMING THROUGH WHEN IT MATTERS THE MOST

Jesse Winker and J.D. Martinez were virtual non-factors in the month of September. The duo combined for just nine hits, one home run, two doubles, eight RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 97 at-bats. Yet, by the end of Game 1, both had come up with monster hits that proved to be huge in the overall context of the game.

It all started with Winker. The former Mets killer stepped up to the plate with two runners on and with the Brewers leading 2-0 early. Going up against the righty Freddy Peralta, Winker forced a full count in a real gutsy at-bat. Consequently, the veteran put himself into a position to hammer a changeup into right-field and drive in two runs with a triple.

All of a sudden, the Mets found themselves in a tied game. And Winker broke an 0-for-15 slump and improved to a career 7-for-20 against Peralta. Furthermore, Winker sparked his teammates into life with his celebration, injecting a much-needed jolt of energy into the game for the road team. He did all of that despite having missed a number of games with back tightness.

Winker’s productive and timely at-bat flipped the script.

From there, the Mets rallied for five runs in a gargantuan fifth inning, sparked by Iglesias’ epic hustle play. Leading 6-4 thanks to Mark Vientos‘ two-run single, it was time for Martinez to enter the game. The veteran, who knows a thing or two about hitting in the postseason, replaced Winker at DH as a pinch-hitter.

Photo by Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

BOUNCING BACK

Without a doubt, Martinez was in worst shape than Winker heading into Game 1. He was recently engulfed in a career-high 0-for-36 slump. It was also the longest hitless streak by a Met this year. Martinez had all of a sudden become an anchor that was weighing the entire lineup down. He was hurting his team, more than helping them.

However, as all great hitters are able to do, Martinez flicked a switch once postseason play began and the stakes heightened. Going up against a lefty in Aaron Ashby, Martinez fell behind in the count 0-2. It looked like his recent titanic struggles would continue. But, again, the six-time All-Star has built a career on coming up with big hits when it matters the most. Especially in October. As a result of that pedigree, Martinez was able to battle back and send a curveball into right field with a two-run single. That made it an 8-4 game and those runs proved to be the last ones scored. Martinez’s gritty at-bat effectively sealed and iced Game 1 for the Mets.

As much as Iglesias’ display of pure hustle changed the tenor of the game, Winker and Martinez both coming up with clutch at-bats proved instrumental. You need big-time production from the DH spot, especially in the postseason. Furthermore, with Francisco Lindor still clearly not right and Pete Alonso still being unable to really take over games, the Mets are going to need Winker and Martinez to step up.

Both players did exactly that in Game 1. And you can argue both designated hitters coming through in big spots ultimately proved to be the big swing of momentum in the opening game of the Wild Card series.

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Mark Vientos continues to find ways to deliver when the Mets need it the most. In his first career postseason game, Vientos started the early rally in the top of the second with a single up the middle, and in the fifth roped a two-out single to score a pair giving the Mets the lead.

“I’m going to be honest with you, walking into the clubhouse today I was really nervous”, Vientos said. “I felt the nerves of the first playoff game and I am glad I got the first one out of the way and I did my thing to help the team win.”

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

It is incredible what Vientos has done for the Mets this year after signing J.D. Martinez before the start of the season to take his spot on the roster, to be sent back down to Triple-A after an offensive surge in the early part of the season, to finally finding a home at third base and never looking back.

Coming off an impressive regular season in which he hit 27 home runs, 71 RBIs and posted a 135 OPS+, the young third baseman continued his 2024 success in his first postseason game. The 24-year-old slugger has cemented himself in the middle of the order with his impressive 2024 campaign, but now it is go time for Vientos.

“It is hard to be tired when you are playing playoff baseball. I had a bunch of energy and I know all of us did. We are all excited and we got the job done”, Vientos said.

He has shown the ability to stay cool, calm, and collected in the big moments, but it is tough to predict if he was going to be able to continue that same feeling into the postseason. Even with a clutch performance the monkey is now off his back, tasting what playoff baseball is all about, and will look to continue his success for the remainder of the Wild Card Series in Milwaukee.

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Despite everything that has transpired in the last week, the New York Mets still have the chance to clinch a spot in the postseason Sunday. With the Atlanta Braves winning yesterday, and the Arizona Diamondbacks losing, the Braves just have to win a game and be in. The Mets are in with a win and a Diamondbacks loss. There are also scenarios where the Mets will have to play the Braves tomorrow where the outcome of those games mean nothing to Atlanta.

These Mets are the same team that took three-of-four from the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend at Citi Field. They went 8-1 without Lindor down the stretch. Now, they need to find that fight and rhythm back.

Mets Lineup

1. Francisco Lindor, SS
2. Jose Iglesias, 2B
3. Brandon Nimmo, LF
4. Mark Vientos, 3B
5. Pete Alonso, 1B
6. J.D. Martinez, DH
7. Starling Marte, RF
8. Francisco Alvarez, C
9. Tyrone Taylor, CF

David Peterson looks to propel the Mets toward a playoff spot on Sunday. Over 114 innings, Peterson has a 3.08 ERA, 3.76 FIP, 1.333 WHIP, and a 128 ERA+ (all career bests except for the WHIP). Peterson has been on-and-off throughout the month of September. When he’s on, he’s allowed two runs over 13 2/3 innings against the Red Sox and the Phillies. When he’s been off, he’s allowed 10 runs (eight earned) over eight innings against the Blue Jays and the Phillies.

The Brewers have the following numbers against Peterson:

• Willy Adames 2-7, 2B, 6 BB, 2 K
• William Contreras 2-7, BB, K
• Rhys Hoskins 7-16, 3 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
• Andruw Monasterio 1-2
• Blake Perkins 0-3, K
• Gary Sánchez 1-4, 2B, BB, K

David Peterson. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Brewers Lineup

1. Brice Turang, 2B
2. Jackson Chourio, RF
3. Willy Adames, SS
4. Jake Bauers, 1B
5. Eric Haase, C
6. Isaac Collins, LF
7. Blaine Perkins, CF
8. Gary Sanchez, DH
9. Joseph Ortiz, 3B

Colin Rea has pitched 162 innings with a 4.17 ERA, 4.72 FIP, 1.228 WHIP, and a 101 ERA+. The Brewers have been bouncing Rea a bit this past month between starting an pitching in relief. Since August 4, he has pitched in seven games (five starts) with a 7.43 ERA and a 6.09 FIP.

His season got off to a strong start against the Mets where he held them to one run over five innings, scattering five hits. The Mets have the following career numbers against Rea:

• Pete Alonso 2-6
• Francisco Alvarez 1-3, 2B, BB
• Harrison Bader 0-1
• Francisco Lindor 1-6, K
• Starling Marte 1-8, K
• Brandon Nimmo 0-6, 2 K
• Tyrone Taylor 1-1, BB
• Jesse Winker 0-2, K

Game Notes

J.D. Martinez has gone 40 plate appearances since his last hit. He is in the lineup today, batting sixth.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Competitive At-Bats. The Mets struggled Saturday night with posting competitive at-bats. They were just under balls, getting weak contact, or swinging early. The Mets had only two hits and a walk. The last four relievers the Brewers threw 14, 11, 7 and 14 pitches, respectively. Just way, way too fast. The Mets’ offense has been relentless at points throughout this season. They’ve also been lifeless at points. Here’s hoping the pendulum swings back to relentless this afternoon.
2. A solid start for David Peterson. The Mets starting pitching fueled the push they made throughout September. The starting pitching has disappeared in the last week with the offense. Peterson needs to give himself, the team and the bullpen a nice reset today, especially if the Mets need to play two games tomorrow.
3. Scoreboard watching. A lot of avenues for the Mets today rely on the Padres beating the Diamondbacks. Martín Pérez (4.25 ERA) goes against Brandon Pfaadt (4.80) who looks to rebound after a difficult month. Pfaadt would love to rewrite his narrative this month and be the reason why the Diamondbacks get into the postseason. A Braves win today also immensely helps the Mets. Alec Marsh (4.65 ERA) goes against the Braves. The Braves are countering with the ageless Charlie Morton (4.08 ERA).

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The switch hitter went 2-for-4 and walked, reaching base three times in his much-awaited return since injuring his back in Philadelphia.

But, despite reaching base three times, the Mets offense didn’t click for the night. They scored four runs via a two-run homer from Mark Vientos and a late rally in the eighth aided by a dropped fly-ball from Brice Turang.

Photo by Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It was dull. And going down the stretch, the Mets need to capitalize on offense. Which might mean sitting a veteran who’s helped the Mets on and off the field throughout 2024.

J.D. Martinez has been an overall net positive for the team this entire season. But to say he’s struggled in September would be an understatement.

The former All-Star is 3-for-40 in the final month of the season, including a 0-for-35 dating back to Sept. 9, where his last hit was a single.

The struggles actually predate September as well. In the second half this season, Martinez is slashing .191/.275/.333 with six homers, much worse than the first-half slash line of .263/.349/.457. His last extra-base hit came on Sept. 7, and his last homer almost a month ago on Aug. 30.

It’s a stark difference from last season, where Martinez slugged 33 homers, put up a .893 OPS, and made an All-Star appearance. The bat has been bad for 52 games, and Friday was another display when Martinez grounded into a double-play to end an inning.

The Mets need to get creative. They only have four games remaining, including a double-header in Atlanta that could decide the fate of the season. Instead of running out Martinez at DH, the Mets need slot Lindor there and put Luisangel Acuña at short.

The rookie displayed his talents in his short stint with Lindor out, much to the shock of everyone after a disappointing season in Triple-A.

Fitting right in 🔥

Luisangel Acuña homers for a second straight night! pic.twitter.com/CfUMfNqFBV

— MLB (@MLB) September 19, 2024

In 10 games, Acuña batted .375 and slugged three homers against the likes of the Nationals and Phillies. He also held his own defensively, only having one miscue in the field against the Nats that cost the Mets.

Acuña was a sparkplug. And now the Mets need him to spark the lineup down the stretch. Starting the 22-year-old would add speed and contact to the lineup, while also allowing Lindor to shift to DH and protect his body for a potential pennant run.

Meanwhile, Martinez could be a weapon off the bench. The veteran is still a threatening presence at the plate, but as of now, along with the struggles of Pete Alonso, Jesse Winker, and Brandon Nimmo, the Mets need to put out their best nine guys.

We’ll see how the lineup looks Saturday. Every game is must win, and adding Acuña to the lineup provides the Mets the best chance to win.

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Sean Manaea faltered. The offense stagnated. The defense was dull. Francisco Alvarez left with back spasms due to a normal-looking slide into third base.

Heck, even when the Mets got base runners on, home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus had some egregious calls to kill Mets’ rallies, leading to Carlos Mendoza getting tossed in an 8-4 loss.

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

It was an all-around dud from the entire team. And it started with Manaea in the very first inning. The lefty threw 26 pitches to get two outs, loading the bases in the process. Manaea then served up a grand slam to the familiar Mets killer Rhys Hoskins, putting the Mets in a hole they could never climb out of.

Manaea only got through 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) and forcing a rested Mets bullpen to record 16 outs. The combination of José Buttó, Danny Young, Adam Ottavino, and Alex Young navigated the rest of the game, but allowed two more runs in the process.

“It sucks,” Manaea said on his start. “We’re fighting for our lives over here and to do that doesn’t feel good .This team’s resilient and we’ll get ’em tomorrow.”

On the other side, the offense failed to get anything going. Mark Vientos clubbed home run No. 27 early to bring the Mets within three runs, but the rest of the club no answer for Frankie Montas and the Brewers pen.

The team went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, highlighted by double plays from J.D. Martinez and Jesse Winker that killed potential rallies in the second and sixth innings.

The worst, however, came in the fourth for the Mets. Winker and Jose Iglesias reached base with two outs, bringing Alvarez up as the tying run.

The young catcher battled the entire bat, fighting off 98-mile-per-hour fastballs and spitting on offspeed pitches. But on the 10th pitch of the at-bat, a slider at his shins was called a strike to end the inning.

That moment seemed like the tipping point for the Mets. Instead of bases loaded and the Mets’ hottest hitter Tyrone Taylor at the plate, the inning was over.

“They have a tough job,” Mendoza said on Ramon De Jesus. I know they’re working really hard. He didn’t have a good game behind the plate. We gotta move on.”

Carlos Mendoza is ejected after Francisco Alvarez was called out on a questionable strike three. pic.twitter.com/n7LkG6wIAo

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 28, 2024

Mendoza got ejected. The Brewers tagged on run six in the bottom half of the innings. It was quickly 7-2 by the sixth.

To put it frankly, the loss was a similar gut punch that the Mets took in Atlanta Tuesday. The offense couldn’t produce, Luis Severino struggled early, and a team that had been the best in the majors since June reverted back to their May selves.

The loss is even strong enough to invoke memories of the past. In 2022 it was the collapse in September. In ’07 and ’08 it was the final weeks of both seasons that saw the club fail to make the postseason.

And now, there’s 2024. The Mets have lost in ugly fashion the last two games, allowing the Braves and Diamondbacks to stay alive for the final two spots.

There’s a three-way tie currently between the clubs, and the Mets have four more games to write history. Will they join the three aforementioned clubs, falling short in the final week despite controlling their own destiny?

Or will they revert back to the club that has been resilient all season and has dominated the majors to a 65-37 record since May 30?

Only time will tell, which is running out the ’24 Mets.

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