The New York Mets followed up a 12-6 win on Friday over the Washington Nationals with a 5-3 loss on Saturday, and the swing captured the frustration of their season. Manager Carlos Mendoza pointed to inconsistency as the reason New York remains stuck in neutral. With Nationals games offering chances to gain ground, the Mets are clinging to hope in the NL Wild Card race. Yet each loss makes the climb steeper, and every mistake adds to the concern.
Mendoza spoke bluntly after the defeat. He admitted that the team has stretches where it executes cleanly but others where lapses pile up. “We’ve been inconsistent. We go through stretches where we make plays, we play clean, and then we’ve been through stretches where that happens,” Mendoza said. His words made it clear that the Mets cannot afford to beat themselves at this stage of the season.
“We’ve been inconsistent. We go through stretches where we make plays, we play clean, and then we’ve been through stretches where that happens.”
Carlos Mendoza talks about how concerning the Mets’ errors are at this point in the season: pic.twitter.com/MsPj2hMtMM
https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1969550025723093137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1969550025723093137%7Ctwgr%5Eb9780c7a0ecfdcd2be90bd9243bc0cf10dbd342f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fclutchpoints.com%2Fmlb%2Fnew-york-mets%2Fmets-news-carlos-mendoza-calls-out-ny-inconsistency-stretch-run
Once again, the night against the Nationals highlighted those issues. The Mets had chances at the plate but failed to capitalize. Defensive mistakes gave Washington extra opportunities, and the bullpen could not keep the game close late. In the end, in a matchup they needed to control, New York instead left the door open for its division rival to dictate the pace.
The Nationals, far removed from postseason contention, played loose and opportunistic baseball. They punished every mistake and forced the Mets to chase from behind. That, Mendoza said, was the most troubling part. He knows NL Wild Card contenders will seize those same openings, and New York’s habit of giving away outs could be fatal in the postseason push.
The Mets still have time to steady themselves, but the pattern has not changed. A strong inning is often followed by a sloppy frame. A rally is often undone by a defensive error. At this point, Carlos Mendoza has made it clear that consistency, not talent, is the missing piece. If the Mets cannot find it soon, the NL Wild Card race could slip away before October even arrives.
