The New York Mets hit a new low on Monday night, delivering a lifeless offensive performance that left fans booing, players staring blankly into space, and critics sharpening their knives. In what can only be described as a flat-out embarrassment, the Mets were shut down by a struggling Arizona Diamondbacks team, losing 7-0 at Citi Field in front of a stunned home crowd.
There was no energy. No urgency. No spark. And certainly, no runs.
Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt, who came into the game with a pedestrian ERA, looked like a Cy Young candidate against the Mets’ so-called lineup. The right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings, scattering just three hits and striking out eight, as the Mets’ bats went cold and stayed that way.
This wasn’t just a loss—it was a statement. And the statement was: this Mets team is in serious trouble.
“We just didn’t get anything going,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza in his postgame comments, searching for answers that have eluded the clubhouse for weeks. “You’ve got to tip your cap to Pfaadt, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to be better. That’s not acceptable.”
No, it’s not. Especially not against a Diamondbacks team that entered the game seven games under .500 and ranked in the bottom third of the league in team ERA. Yet, you wouldn’t have known it watching the Mets flail at breaking balls in the dirt and fastballs right down the middle.
Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo went a combined 0-for-12. Jeff McNeil grounded into a double play with runners on the corners in the third inning—one of the Mets’ only chances to break through. From there, it was a slow death march of weak pop-ups, strikeouts, and blank stares from the dugout.
The Mets have now lost five of their last six games and have scored two runs or fewer in four of those contests. The offense that was supposed to carry this team—stacked with veterans and high-priced talent—looks disconnected and uninspired. Even worse, they appear to be pressing, swinging early in counts and giving away at-bats.
“It’s frustrating,” said Lindor, who is hitting just .214 on the season. “We know we’re better than this. But knowing it and showing it are two different things.”
On the other side of the diamond, the Diamondbacks didn’t have any issues making contact. They pounced on Mets starter Luis Severino early, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Severino labored through five frames, giving up five earned runs on nine hits, and walked off the mound to a chorus of boos.
To be fair, Severino didn’t get much help. The Mets’ defense was sloppy—again—committing two errors and misplaying a pair of fly balls that extended innings.
The loss dropped the Mets to 18-25, a record that looks even worse when you consider the preseason expectations. Ownership spent big, the front office talked about competing, and fans bought in. But now, just a quarter into the season, the team looks broken, lifeless, and increasingly out of answers.
Is it too early to panic? Maybe. But it’s getting harder to argue with the eye test—and the box score. The Mets aren’t just losing. They’re getting run out of their own ballpark by inferior teams. And worst of all, they’re showing no signs of urgency.
If this was a wake-up call, the alarm went off weeks ago. The Mets just keep hitting snooze.
