FLUSHING, NY – After another gut-wrenching loss to the Cleveland Guardians, the New York Mets, once a playoff hopeful, are stumbling as of August 2025. With a 63-51 record, they sit 2.5 games behind the Philadelphia Schwarbers in the NL East. Last night’s anemic loss was their 7th loss in eight games. A shaky rotation and an offense struggling against lefties are to blame. Here’s a breakdown of the issues and how to fix them with the trade deadline passed.
The Problems
Rotation Woes
The starting pitching has faltered, with Frankie Montas’ 6.68 ERA over seven starts epitomizing the inconsistency. Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea have struggled to go deep, leaving the bullpen overworked, as seen in last night’s extra-inning collapse. This fragility has cost them dearly during the skid.
Offensive Struggles
The lineup has hit a wall against left-handed pitching, with a .348 OPS since May. Pete Alonso (.608 OPS) and Francisco Lindor (.603 OPS) have underperformed against southpaws, and the bottom order’s .649 OPS ranks 22nd in MLB. Last night’s loss highlighted this, as they couldn’t capitalize fully despite Alonso’s effort.
Momentum Loss
Since June 1, the Mets are 27-28, a sharp drop from their 45-24 start by June 12. The recent loss to Cleveland, coupled with a tough schedule ahead, underscores the urgency to rebound.
The Fixes
Stabilize the Rotation
With the trade deadline past, the Mets must rely on Senga and Manaea to regain form, supported by David Peterson as a third arm. Montas could shift to the bullpen with an innings limit, while prospect Brandon Sproat could be called up for spot starts. Don’t hold your breath on Sproat being the next Seaver. The former will be 25 in September. Tom Terrific had 75 wins by the time he was 25, playing for anemic Mets offensive teams. Waiver wire pickups like a struggling but usable arm could bolster depth.
The Offense
The most confounding thing about these Mets – and all of MLB, for that matter – is this asinine norm of swinging at the first pitch. If I was the skipper, that would change. Juan Soto is the only guy in the lineup I’d give the green-light on the first pitch to, as he is notoriously disciplined at the plate, and the first pitch might be the only good one he gets. Everyone else would be ordered to TAKE A PITCH. The more pitches you see, the better feel you get for a pitcher. You also drive the opposing pitcher’s pitch-count up. THAT IS BASEBALL COMMON SENSE. If you’re up 6-0 in the 7th, I MIGHT relax that rule – but only for hitters batting over .270. The Mets currently have ZERO starters hitting .270 or better. ZERO. I’d also have the lead-off hitter in an inning TAKING A STRIKE. Why? Because of all of the above AND give your team and pitcher a chance to catch their collective breath. There is nothing more life-sucking that a batter leading off an inning popping up the first pitch.
As for what is available…
Mark Vientos is swinging the bat better after missing a bunch of time. He should be in some kind of platoon/rotation with Ronny Mauricio and Starling Marte at DH. Jesse Winker, who is still out for the 2nd time this season, will be a serviceable bat/glove when/if he gets back. . Brett Baty – who is Ike Davis II – should be sent down.
Manager Carlos Mendoza should leverage bench players like Tyrone Taylor against lefties. Otherwise,Taylor is ONLY a late-inning defensive replacement. HE SHOULD NOT BE STARTING. Put McNeil out there. Waiver wire options, such as a hitter with platoon potential, could address the lefty weakness without trades.
Here’s my batting order:
Lindor SS
Marte DH
Soto LF
Veintos 3B
McNeil CF
Alonoso 1B (YES, 6TH)
Nimmo RF (YES, 7th)
Mauricio 2B
Alvarez C
Regain Confidence
Mendoza’s in-game tactics need to maximize scoring chances. Play some small ball with your small ball guys. Nimmo thinks he’s a power guy now. Wouldn’t Nimmo hitting .280 be better than what he is now, regardless of homers? Maybe suggest a players-only meeting or team-building effort could restore the early-season chemistry that fueled their initial success.
The Outlook
With eight weeks left, the Mets’ talent—highlighted by a Juan Soto resurgence, contingent on his teammates showing a pulse, and a solid bullpen — offers hope. Internal adjustments and waiver wire additions can salvage the season, but last night’s loss to Cleveland shows inaction risks a playoff miss. The front office’s deadline moves are done; now, it’s up to the field to deliver. Mets fans, brace for a challenging but winnable stretch.
