“The way Scott has been throwing the ball over the last couple of outings in the minor leagues, we knew it was just going to be a matter of time that he was going to be helping us with the big league club,” Mendoza said.

Scott debuted with the Mets in 2024, making nine starts and pitching a 4.56 ERA with 39 strikeouts against 12 walks in 47 1/3 innings. Scott struggled with long ball, giving up eight homers. He was placed on the injured list in July and had to undergo Tommy John surgery in September. The 26-year-old returned to the mound this spring and got roughed up in his first start for Triple-A Syracuse, getting tagged for seven runs (six earned) and nine hits, including two home runs in 3 1/3 innings. However, he has pitched well over his subsequent two outings, allowing just two runs and four hits with 12 strikeouts against two walks in 10 1/3 innings.

As for Senga, he is coming off two straight rocky outings, giving up 14 runs (13 earned) on 14 hits, including four home runs, while walking five in 5 2/3 innings. Senga’s average fastball velocity has dropped in each of his starts, beginning the year at 97.3 mph in his first outing of the year and dropping below 96 mph in each of his last two starts. This continues a troublesome trend for the 33-year-old, who registered an unsightly 6.56 ERA in the second half of 2025 and even got sent down to Triple-A.

The post Christian Scott to Start Thursday appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Two and a half weeks since suffering a calf strain, Juan Soto is set to return to the Mets on Wednesday in the middle of their series against the Minnesota Twins.

Soto injured his calf running the bases April 3 against the Giants. The Mets won that game and the three after that, but have lost 11 straight following. Soto’s absence has been felt across that span, as the Mets have scored the fewest runs in baseball (37) since April 4. They also have the lowest slugging percentage and second-lowest walk percentage since then.

Original Post, 4/10/26

As the New York Mets gear up for their three-game set with the Athletics at Citi Field, president of baseball operations David Stearns and manager Carlos Mendoza provided some positive updates on the statuses of Juan Soto and Jorge Polanco.

Stearns, who held a press conference ahead of Friday night’s game, stated that Soto is progressing as the club had hoped he would and that they aren’t expecting him to remain out for a prolonged period of time.

“He’s progressing as we would expect … we’re optimistic that this is not going to be a particularly long-term absence,” Stearns said.

Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Soto was pulled after the first inning of the Mets’ 10-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on April 3 after appearing to tweak his calf while going from first to third base on a Bo Bichette single. He was later placed on the injured list on April 6 with his calf strain,

The 27-year-old outfielder, who signed a historic 15-year deal worth $765 million with the Mets in December 2024, finished third in National League MVP voting last season after posting a career-high 43 home runs and 38 stolen bases with a .921 OPS in 160 games. Soto, who is on the IL for the first time since 2021, was slashing .355/.412/.516 this year at the time of his injury.

As for Polanco, Mendoza told reporters that he underwent an MRI on Thursday that didn’t show any structural damage. Though the 32-year-old is still considered day-to-day as he deals with Achilles bursitis, he isn’t expected to land on the IL as of now.

“We decided yesterday to send him for an MRI, just to make sure we knew what we’re dealing with” Mendoza said. “The good news is the tendon’s healthy… he’s dealing with bursitis. That’s the diagnosis there. He’ll continue to be day-to-day. He feels a lot better. He was hitting earlier today.”

Polanco, fresh off a 26-homer campaign with the Seattle Mariners in 2025, signed a two-year contract worth $40 million with New York this past offseason. He has slashed .200/.289/.275 across 45 trips to the plate this year.

The post Juan Soto to Return Wednesday from Calf Injury appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After being swept by the Cubs in Chicago, the Mets have now lost 11 consecutive games and are 7-15 on the season. That’s tied for the worst record in all of baseball.

Furthermore, the Mets rank last in a number of statistical categories, including the most important one: runs. They also look incompetent in almost every single department.

With no signs of hope that a turnaround may be on the horizon, it remains to be seen just how much worse things could get. And, if they do, what changes, if any, may be in the offing.

For now, though, let’s recap everything from a third straight series sweep in this week’s 3 Up, 3 Down…

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

3 UP

SPARK PLUG

MJ Melendez hasn’t stopped hitting since getting called up from Triple-A. He’s the only member of the Mets who is hitting right now. He recorded a pair of hits in the series opener before hitting a home run in the finale on Sunday. Melendez has looked good at the plate so far, and he’s proving that he can be a contributing piece for this ballclub.

OPENING UP

The Mets went with an opener for Sunday’s game, with Tobias Myers providing some much-needed stability. The righty tossed two scoreless innings, striking out two while allowing just one hit and one walk. Given what happened earlier in the series on the pitching side, Myers not putting his team in an early hole should be considered a big positive.

RIGHTING THE SHIP

Moved out of the rotation on Sunday, having struggled to start the season, few could have blamed David Peterson for being ticked. Well, if he was, he didn’t show it. The lefty pitched out of the bullpen in relief, giving the Mets 3.2 scoreless innings of relief in the finale. It was a much-needed outing for Peterson, given his recent struggles. Hopefully, he can use it as a springboard to pitch in the rotation effectively.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

ALL-TIME LOW

Forget rock bottom, the Mets are digging beneath it right now. They’ve lost 11 in a row, which is tied for the seventh-longest losing streak in franchise history. Historically, not many teams have been this bad and still made the postseason. Forget all the historical context, though. The most damming aspect about this historical streak is just how fundamentally bad this team looks from top to bottom. Hitters aren’t performing to the back of their baseball cards. The starting pitching has been a mess outside of the top two arms. We’re seeing mental mistakes and routine errors every single day. We’re still in April, but it is hard to see how the Mets are going to turn this around.

EMBARRASSING 

There isn’t much left to say about how bad this offense is. And nothing seems to be changing. The approach at the plate is the same, despite the lack of success and results. The Mets aren’t generating enough baserunners, and they are a non-threat on the basepaths when they do. There is no power. There is no making things happen. And the entire lineup seems incapable of adjusting on the fly. Consequently, the offense was a no-show again in Chicago, scoring a total of seven runs. The lineup also went a combined 5-for-26 with RISP. Furthermore, the Mets have now scored two runs or less in nine of their last 11 games. As a result, they rank second-worst in runs scored (72) in baseball, while owning the second-worst OBP (.288), SLG (.336), and OPS (.624).

And, while the pending return of Juan Soto will help, relying on one player to solve everything will only mean that this team really is in a whole world of trouble.

SALT IN THE WOUNDS

When you are on the kind of losing streak the Mets are, everything that can possibly go wrong will go wrong. We saw that on Sunday. Within touching distance of snapping a 10-game losing streak, Devin Williams allowed a game-tying RBI double in the ninth. The fact that it came off the bat of former Met Michael Conforto made it even worse. Then, in extra innings, Craig Kimbrel allowed the ghost runner to score to cap off what was yet another miserable weekend. That came after Brooks Raley gave up his first home run since 2023 to change the entire complexion of Saturday’s game. When it rains, it pours for the Mets right now.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Swept By Cubs As Woes Continue appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets are currently on their longest losing streak since 2004. They still have to lose two more games to tie that streak, three more to break it.

Or the Mets could end all of that talk with a win this afternoon in Chicago. Yesterday, the Mets were able to rack up hits (14) but only converted that into four runs, while the Mets’ pitching imploded in a 12-4 loss. Things are starting to look bleak. Freddy Peralta has a tall order today to save the Mets and get them back in the win column.

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – LF
2. Bo Bichette – 3B
3. Francisco Lindor – SS
4. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
5. MJ Melendez – DH
6. Francisco Alvarez – C
7. Mark Vientos – 1B
8. Brett Baty – RF
9. Marcus Semien – 2B

Starting Pitcher: Freddy Peralta

Over four starts and 21 innings, Peralta has a 3.86 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 1.143 WHIP, and a 103 ERA+. Peralta is coming off a solid start against the Athletics, where he allowed one run on a solo home run over six innings while striking out six (a game that the Mets eventually lost 1-0). So far this season, Peralta has alternated between weak starts and strong starts, so he’ll be looking for two consecutive strong starts for the first time in 2026 today.

Peralta faced the Cubs four times in 2025, and two of the starts were great, and two of the starts were terrible. In the two great starts, he held the Cubs scoreless over 12 innings. In the other two starts, he allowed eight runs over nine innings. He had one good start and one bad start in Chicago, so it’s not a road thing either. The Cubs have the following career numbers against him:

• Miguel Amaya 1-7, 2 K
• Moises Ballesteros 1-2, 2B
• Alex Bregman 2-5, BB, K
• Michael Busch 3-20, 3 HR, 5 BB, 9 K
• Michael Conforto 3-10, 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
• Pete Crow-Armstrong 6-15, 2B, HR, BB, K
• Ian Happ 4-37, 3 HR, 6 BB, 15 K
• Nico Hoerner 6-33, 3 2B, HR, 2 BB, 7 K
• Carson Kelly 2-15, BB, 7 K
• Scott Kingery 1-1
• Matt Shaw 1-6, 2 BB, 2 K
• Seiya Suzuki 3-28, HR, 4 BB, 15 K
• Dansby Swanson 2-25, HH,  2 BB, 12 K

Opposing Lineup

1. Nico Hoerner – 2B
2. Michael Busch – 1B
3. Alex Bregman – 3B
4. Ian Happ – LF
5. Seiya Suzuki – RF
6. Moises Ballesteros – DH
7. Miguel Amaya – C
8. Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
9. Dansby Swanson – SS

Jameson Taillon has a 4.86 ERA, 6.28 FIP, 1.260 WHIP, and a 77 ERA+ over three starts and 16 2/3 innings this season. Last year, he pitched 129 2/3 innings over 23 starts with a 3.68 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 1.057 WHIP, and a 104 ERA+. The Mets hit him hard last May, scoring six runs, five earned over four innings from nine hits, including four home runs. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 K
• Brett Baty 2-2, HR
• Bo Bichette 9-24, 4 2B, 6 K
• Francisco Lindor 3-16, HR, 5 K
• MJ Melendez 3-5, 2 2B, BB, K
• Tommy Pham 9-29, 5 2B, 2 BB, 9 K
• Jorge Polanco 6-9, 2 2B, HR< K
• Luis Robert Jr. 1-11, HR, 5 K
• Marcus Semien 3-17, 2B, 2 HR
• Tyrone Taylor 2-12, 2B, 4 K
• Luis Torrens 0-3, 2 K
• Mark Vientos 0-5, K

Game Notes

• Today, Freddy Peralta is set to make his 18th (23rd) start against the Cubs. He is 9-3 with a 3.21 ERA (35 ER/98.0 IP), 51 walks, and 131 strikeouts. He is 5-2 with a 4.11 ERA (21 ER/46.0 IP), 30 walks, and 60 strikeouts in 11 games (nine starts) at Wrigley Field.
• The Mets are on a season-long nine-game losing streak. The Mets have posted a 6.43 ERA (55 ER/77.0 IP) in that span with 32 walks and 77 strikeouts. As a team, they are batting .202/.239/.284…They have been outscored 56-16 in the current streak. The last time the team lost nine or more games was an 11-game streak from August 28 to September 8, 2004.
• The Mets placed Jorge Polanco on the 10-day IL with a right wrist contusion. They recalled Hayden Senger to replace Polanco on the 26-man roster.

Three Things To Watch For

1. On paper vs recent performance. Today is an ideal matchup on paper for the Mets. As a team, they are slashing .293/.308/.557 against Taillon with seven home runs. Taillon’s FIP is well above his already moderately high ERA. The Mets also crushed Taillon last season. But the Mets have been spiraling recently. Everything points toward a get-right game for the Mets today, but only if they can seize it.
2. Francisco Lindor. Lindor has six hits in his last five games, including a double and a home run. He’s also been getting his hits in bunches, coming in pairs (three games going 2-for-4 and two games going 0-for-4). He’s batting .300 with a .500 SLG over this stretch, raising his season line from .167/.296/.250 to .200/.297/.313.
3. Power outage. The Mets have hit 14 home runs this season, which ties them for 27 in the league. Last season, the Mets were fifth in the league, and the year before, they were sixth. They are without one of the major power hitters in Juan Soto and lost a lot of home runs with Pete Alonso leaving the team, but the Mets should not be this low compared to the rest of the league. An eventual return to the mean should see the Mets shoot up to at least mid-league (the Orioles and Brewers are tied with 18 homers for 16th in the league).

Let’s go Mets!

The post Game Chat: Mets vs Cubs, 2:20 PM appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Before the move, Polanco had also been dealing with left Achilles bursitis. The injury wasn’t bad enough to place the switch-hitter on the IL. Polanco was slashing .179/.246/.286 with one homer in 14 games.

The Mets recalled Hayden Senger from Triple-A Syracuse as the corresponding move. Senger has been dominating the minors this season, slugging .714 with five homers in 12 games.

The post Mets Place Jorge Polanco on 10-Day IL, Recall Hayden Senger appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It’s hard to rub a wound much deeper than giving up four runs in the first inning when you’ve already lost eight in a row.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Mets’ offense, which has been the main culprit of this losing streak, didn’t fully flesh — but it wasn’t the main factor on Friday. They scored four runs on 14 hits, with a three-run second inning briefly cutting the deficit to one.

But Senga gave up two more runs in the bottom of the second. He allowed seven runs — six earned — overall. Before this week, he’d never allowed more than five runs in a start. He has now done it twice.

Also before this week, Senga had never given up a three-run homer in the majors. He’s also done that in each of his last two starts.

Senga made it through 3 1/3 innings this time, as opposed to 2 1/3 in his previous outing. That makes 13 earned runs allowed over 5 2/3 innings between his last two starts.

Senga threw a wealth of cutters on Friday. He threw it 38% of the time as opposed to his season mark of 21%. He got five swing-and-misses with the pitch, but he also surrendered a back-breaking three-run shot to Moisés Ballesteros with it in the first inning.

A frustrating aspect of it is that Senga was on his way to navigating through the inning. Alex Bregman ripped one down the line, but Carson Benge got to it quickly and held Bregman to a single. Senga got Ian Happ swinging with the forkball — which has still been an effective pitch this season — and the Cubs had two on with two out. Senga was a batter away from throwing a scoreless first.

Seiya Suzuki‘s go-ahead RBI single was a 78.2-mph floater that died in shallow right field. It could be fairly described as an unlucky hit against Senga. But then he got crushed by Ballesteros, and the outing had gotten away from him before he could hardly settle in.

The Mets, to their credit, didn’t fold right away. They rallied for a three-spot in the second to get within one.

But Senga couldn’t keep them in it. He allowed a two-run homer to Nico Hoerner, this time on a fastball up and in.

Senga got through the third inning unscathed, inducing a double play to get around a pair of baserunners.

Senga was ultimately pulled after allowing a one-out hit in the fourth.

Senga’s season, which got off to a promising start in his first two appearances, has taken a rapid spiral. Even last year’s second-half struggles weren’t this bad all at once. The last two outings have ballooned Senga’s ERA to 8.83.

It’s the first time in Senga’s MLB career that he’s failed to complete four innings in back-to-back outings.

If you’re looking for positives, Senga’s four-seam fastball and forkball have still been good. His fastball velocity is up slightly from last year.

His cutter and sweeper, on the other hand, had opposing batting averages of .500 entering Friday. The expected batting averages on those pitches were significantly lower but still ugly, in the mid to high .300s.

Senga’s strikeout and walk numbers aren’t that far off his career norms; he’s averaging about one extra of each in the early going.

But the home run numbers definitely stick out. Senga is averaging one home run per start and 2.08 per nine innings. As mentioned, two of those have been big blows recently, as the first three-run homers Senga has ever allowed in the majors.

The reality for Senga is that it doesn’t seem like he’s ever fully found a rhythm since his fantastic rookie season in 2023. He missed nearly all of 2024, and he had a dominant stretch in 2025 but was derailed by a midseason injury. Now he’s back, and he appears to be healthy, but he’s not the reliable pitcher that he was three years ago.

The velocity and forkball effectiveness are signs that Senga may not be a lost cause this yet. But these last two starts have been alarming, especially in relation to how generally good Senga has been in his MLB career.

The post Kodai Senga Follows Career-Worst Start With Another Shortcoming appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Latest Mets News

Rock bottom keeps getting deeper and deeper for the Mets (7-13) as they lost their ninth straight game Friday to the Cubs (10-9), 12-4. The game was noncompetitive from the beginning, as Kodai Senga allowed four first-inning runs. Absolutely nothing is going right for the Mets right now, and they are on the verge of a 10-game losing streak just 20 games into the season.

The Mets take on the Cubs again Saturday at 2:20 p.m. ET. Freddy Peralta (1-1, 3.86 ERA) will take the mound against Jameson Taillon (0-1, 4.86 ERA).

Prior to Friday’s game, David Stearns told the media that manager Carlos Mendoza is “doing a very good job,” and he is not to blame for the team’s current skid.

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Latest MLB News

Angels legend Garret Anderson passed away after dealing with a medical emergency. He was just 53. Anderson holds several Angels records including games played, hits and RBIs. The Angels will wear a patch on their jersey for the remainder of the season to honor Anderson.

Private-equity billionaire José E. Feliciano and his wife are nearing a deal to acquire the San Diego Padres, for an MLB-record $3.9 billion.

The Cubs placed closer Daniel Palencia on the injured list with a left oblique strain. Palencia has pitched in five games this year and has not allowed a run.

Former Mets minor leaguer Luke Ritter signed a minor league deal with the Tigers. Ritter was one of the top power bats in the Mets’ system from 2019-2025.

On This Date in Mets History

Born on This Date: Brady Clark (1973), Rico Brogna (1970), Doug Flynn (1951), Chuck Taylor (1942), Larry Foss (1936).

The post Morning Briefing: Mets on Brink of Double-Digit Losing Streak appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jack Wenninger Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

TRIPLE-A

SCRANTON (10-7) VS SYRACUSE (8-9)

6:35 PM

After their game was rained out on Thursday, Syracuse will send Jack Wenninger out for the start against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Friday night before playing a doubleheader on Saturday.

Wenninger, who is ranked as MMO’s No. 7 prospect in the Mets’ system, has allowed only one earned run over two starts totaling nine innings so far this season with 10 strikeouts. The right-hander had a 2.92 ERA in 26 outings for Double-A Binghamton in 2025.

Hayden Senger has been Syracuse’s best hitter in 2026, as the catcher is slashing .257/.316/.714 with five home runs.

DOUBLE-A

BINGHAMTON (5-6) VS AKRON (8-4)

7:17 PM

Joander Suarez, after posting a 13.00 ERA in three outings (two starts) to begin the year for Syracuse, is making his first appearance of the season for Binghamton after being sent down on April 14.

Suarez’s first outing for the Rumble Ponies came all the way back in 2023, and he has a 3.27 ERA across 220 innings for the affiliate during his career. In 2025, he posted a 3.05 ERA over 20 appearances (15 starts) for Binghamton.

Chris Suero is batting .259/.475/.667 with three home runs through nine games, while A.J. Ewing has a 1.078 OPS with six stolen bases and a .389 average.

HIGH-A

GREENSBORO (9-3) VS BROOKLYN (3-8)

6:40 PM

Wyatt Hudepohl is toeing the rubber for Brooklyn tonight. In two starts for the club this season, the right-hander has recorded a 10.57 ERA with six strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.

2025 third-round pick Antonio Jimenez is looking to homer for a third game in a row, and 2025 first-rounder Mitch Voit, after having six hits and a homer in three games from April 11 to April 14, is searching for a bounce-back performance after going 0-for-5 on Wednesday.

LOW-A

ST. LUCIE (5-7) VS DAYTONA (5-7)

6:35 PM

Joel Lara, who has given up seven earned runs over two outings (one start) and 3 2/3 innings this season, will look to get back on track against Daytona.

Randy Guzman is scorching hot, having launched three homers over his past two games, and Elian Peña has an .857 OPS with five stolen bases this season.

The post Mets Minors Game Chat: Randy Guzman Looking for Third-Straight Game with Home Run appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Mets began the game with a new-look batting order, with Carson Benge leading off for the first time in his young MLB career. Despite the first two batters being retired, Francisco Lindor ripped a two-out double to left field at 105.2 mph to give the Mets a runner in scoring position. However, Luis Robert Jr. would fly out to center on the next pitch, spoiling the chance to get on the board early.

Senga took the mound in the bottom half of the inning, looking to bounce back from the worst start of his career. However, things unraveled quickly, much like his last outing. After retiring the leadoff batter, Senga would allow a walk and a base-hit to put runners on the corners with one out. A strikeout of Ian Happ with the ghost forkball gave the right-hander two outs in the inning. A Seiya Suzuki single drove in the first run of the contest, followed by a three-run home run from Moises Ballesteros. After finally recording the final out of the inning, the Cubs led 4-0 after the first.

The Mets got on the board in the top of the second inning. Three-straight hits, including a Francisco Alvarez infield single, an MJ Melendez single, and a Marcus Semien double, drove in a run. With runners on second and third with nobody out, Brett Baty struck out. Tyrone Taylor followed with a laser of a single off the ivy in left-center field that drove in two more runs. However, a Pete Crow-Armstrong throw gunned him out at second base. After a Benge flyout, the Mets trailed 4-3.

Looking for a shutdown bottom half of the second, Senga failed to deliver. After a one-out walk, Nico Hoerner blasted a two-run home run to left field, extending the Cubs lead. Senga would retire the next two batters, keeping the Cubs’ lead at 6-3.

Senga was replaced by Huascar Brazobán in the bottom of the fourth inning after just 65 pitches. His final line was 3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, with his season ERA sitting at 8.83. Brazobán did not keep the Cubs off of the board. After inheriting a runner from Senga, he allowed hits to the next two batters. After a lineout, a Baty error on a routine ground ball at first extended the Cubs lead. A strikeout ended the inning, with the Cubs leading 7-3.

Sean Manaea entered the game in relief of Brazobán in the bottom of the fifth inning. The left-hander pitched a one-two-three inning, striking out two.

The Mets had something brewing in the top of the sixth after a Melendez hit made it first and third with two outs. However, Semien grounded out, ending the inning. Manaea continued his strong work in the bottom half of the inning, working around a hit to keep Chicago’s lead at 7-3.

Mark Vientos led off the top of the seventh with a pinch-hit single, snapping an 0-for-23 skid. However, nothing would come of it as the offense stalled once again. The bottom half of the inning was not as kind to Manaea. After retiring the first two batters, back-to-back doubles plated another Cubs run. Manaea allowed an infield hit and a walk, followed by a wild pitch that scored another Chicago run. After a sacrifice fly drove in another run, Manaea finally escaped with the Cubs lead ballooning to 10-3.

The Mets’ offense woke up in the top of the eighth. After Lindor hit a line drive that was ruled an infield single, Robert drove a double down the right field line. Alvarez hit a chopper to third that he beat out for an infield single, driving in Lindor. After a Melendez strikeout, Semien blooped a single into left that loaded the bases. However, Vientos grounded into an inning-ending double play, with the Mets only scoring one run in the inning.

Manaea’s outing continued to age poorly in the bottom of the inning. After allowing a leadoff single, the lefty allowed a two-run home run that extended the Cubs’ lead to 12-4 before working out of the inning. Manaea’s season ERA now sits at 4.50.

The Mets failed to score in the top of the ninth, with the final score being 12-4 Cubs.

Player of the Game: MJ Melendez

Despite the Mets’ well-documented struggles across the board, Melendez has been a quality addition to the lineup. Today, he went 2-for-3 with a walk, now reaching base in five of his eight plate appearances as a Met. With Juan Soto, Jared Young, and Mike Tauchman on the injured list, Melendez should stick around on the big-league roster along with veteran Tommy Pham.

On Deck

The Mets will resume action on Saturday at 2:20 p.m. EST in the middle contest of the three-game set in Chicago. Freddy Peralta will take the mound for his fifth start of the season, looking to build off of a solid outing last weekend against the A’s. He’ll face off against Jameson Taillon. The game will stream live on SNY and MLB.com, radio on WCBS 880 and the Audacy app.

The post Mets’ Pitching Implodes Against Cubs as Losing Streak Reaches Nine Games appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It has been a bad week-and-a-half for the New York Mets. They enter play today last place in the NL East, five games out of first place with a 7-12 record and on an eight-game losing streak. The Mets desperately need to snap out of their funk. They are facing a Chicago Cubs team this weekend that is also in last place, but are 9-9 and only 1 1/2 games out of first in the NL Central. The Cubs are looking to extend their winning streak to three games this afternoon. Can the Mets let this losing streak blow away in the wind?

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Bo Bichette – 3B
3. Francisco Lindor – SS
4. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
5. Francisco Alvarez – C
6. MJ Melendez – DH
7. Marcus Semien – 2B
8. Brett Baty – 1B
9. Tyrone Taylor – LF

Starting Pitcher: Kodai Senga

Senga’s last start was one to forget. He allowed seven runs on eight hits and two walks over 2 1/3 innings to the Athletics. This ballooned his season ERA from 3.09 to 7.07. Senga allowed a pair of home runs in that outing, the first two that he gave up this season. His FIP on the year, though, is a respectable 3.80.

Senga did not face the Cubs last season, but they have the following career numbers against him:

• Alex Bregman 1-3, 2B
• Michael Conforto 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K
• Ian Happ 2-6, 2 K
• Nico Hoerner 1-5, BB, 3 K
• Carson Kelly 0-3, 2 K
• Seiya Suzuki 1-2, BB
• Dansby Swanson 1-6, 2B, 2 K

Opposing Lineup

1. Nico Hoerner – 2B
2. Michael Busch – 1B
3. Alex Bregman – 3B
4. Ian Happ – LF
5. Seiya Suzuki – RF
6. Moisés Ballesteros – DH
7. Carson Kelly – C
8. Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
9. Dansby Swanson – SS

Edward Cabrera is off to a good start in 2026. Over three outings, he has tossed 16 2/3 innings with a 1.62 ERA, 3.22 FIP, 1.140 WHIP and a 231 ERA+. His last start, though, was quite average. He allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks over five innings while striking out four. Cabrera had two very different starts against the Mets last season while he was with the Miami Marlins. In Queens, he allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and a walk over four innings, including three homers. His last start of the season was against the Mets in Miami, and he held them scoreless over five innings.

The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Francisco Alvarez 1-4, 2 K
• Brett Baty 2-2
• Francisco Lindor 3-18, HR, 6 BB, 4 K
• MJ Melendez 0-1, BB
• Tommy Pham 0-2, K
• Luis Robert Jr. 1-2, 2B, K
• Tyrone Taylor 2-7, 3 K
• Luis Torrens 0-2, K
• Mark Vientos 3-7, HR, BB, 2 K

Game Notes

• Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that in addition to his Achilles bursitis, Jorge Polanco is battling through right wrist soreness. Polanco, who has not appeared in the Mets’ lineup for each of their last two games, underwent an MRI in Chicago that the club is still waiting on the results from.
• Mendoza also stated that Juan Soto is getting in more live at-bats at Citi Field today and is doing high intensity running drills in addition to some outfield work as he works his way back from a calf injury he suffered on April 3 in San Francisco.

Three Things To Watch For

1. MJ Melendez. Before Wednesday’s game, the Mets announced that Jared Young needs meniscus surgery and could be out for two months. Melendez was called up in his place and had a great first game, going 2-for-4 with two doubles. Melendez struggled in 23 games with the Kansas City Royals last season, slashing .083/.154/.167 with a -10 OPS+. He was doing alright in Syracuse before getting called up, however, going 11-for-51 with three doubles, a triple and a home run (.216/.286/.431). The Mets need any spark they can get right now!
2. Please stop striking out. The Mets have had several games in a row now where they’ve barely been getting hits. On Wednesday, the Mets were struggling to get the bat on the ball; they had 14 strikeouts, including two from Lindor, Robert Jr., Baty, Melendez and Pham. Just a really bad night overall. Will the Mets change their approach at the plate this afternoon?
3. An old friend. Michael Conforto burst on the scene for the 2015 Mets with a 130 OPS+. He also hit two home runs in Game 4 of the World Series that year. After a couple of solid years in San Francisco (100 OPS+ in 2023, 115 OPS+ in 2024), he is trying to rebound after a hard 2025 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers where he hit .199/.305/.333 (81 OPS+) over 138 games. This season, he has played in 12 games and has come off the bench as a pinch hitter three games in a row. He is 6-for-22 with two doubles and six walks (.273/.429/.364, 136 OPS+). Here’s hoping he has a successful year – just not against the Mets.

Let’s go Mets!

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