The New York Mets' disappointing season took another downturn with a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, pushing them to a season-low 18 games below .500. The defeat underscored the team's ongoing struggles with offensive production and reinforced expectations that the Mets will be significant sellers at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
The Mets managed only two solo home runs from Luis Robert Jr. and Francisco Alvarez in Friday's game, a familiar pattern of offensive futility. "The season didn't go as we anticipated. It's extremely disappointing," said president of baseball operations David Stearns. "I am extremely disappointed that we are in this situation, but I'm also very aware we are in this situation and it's my job to do what's in the best interest of the organization."
Adding to the challenges, the Mets lost outfielder Juan Soto to a nagging sore calf after just two at-bats. Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, a longtime tormentor of the Mets, had three hits and a stolen base. Struggling slugger Kyle Tucker, who spurned the Mets in the offseason, hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning that sealed the victory for the Dodgers.
Dodgers' right-hander Roki Sasaki pitched effectively, allowing one run and striking out nine over seven innings. The Mets' offseason acquisitions, including Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, and Robert, combined for a meager 1-for-12 performance with six strikeouts. Even the team's bullpen, considered a strength, faltered by allowing three runs in the seventh and eighth innings.
The Mets' current record stands at 43-61. This season has been a stark contrast to 2024, when the team reached the National League Championship Series, losing to the Dodgers in six games. Following that season, the team added Soto, but their performance has faltered significantly since. The team blew a playoff spot in the second half of the previous season and has struggled throughout the current year, appearing to be on pace for a 95-loss season.
Stearns acknowledged the organization's position and the challenges ahead. While he did not rule out the possibility of trading cornerstone players like shortstop Francisco Lindor, such a move seems unlikely given Lindor's substantial contract and inconsistent performance this season. The focus remains on navigating the upcoming trade deadline to best position the organization for the future, a stark contrast to owner Steve Cohen's initial goal of building the Mets into an East Coast version of the Dodgers.