Daniel Vogelbach remains convinced that the Mets are going to find a way out of what could very well be described as one of the most disappointing springs in franchise history.
Wednesday’s 10-8 loss to the Houston Astros dropped the Mets to six games under .500 (34-40) and a whopping 13.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the National League East. Over their last 17 games, they’re 4-13.
Last year, the 101-win Mets didn’t lose their 40th game until Aug. 14 — nearly two months after the 2023 edition hit that mark in the loss column despite garnering World Series consideration at the start of the season.
“Baseball is hard and it’ll try all it can to make you want to quit and make you want to give in,” Vogelbach began (h/t SNY). “That’s why not everybody can do it. If I know these guys in the clubhouse, we’re not going to be those people. We’re going to keep going and we’re going to stick together and we’re going to get out of it. We’re going to go on a winning streak.
“I don’t know when that is. I wish I could tell you when. But I truly believe it’s going to happen and we’re going to get right back to where everyone believes we should be.”
The lack of answers is becoming a concerning theme for a season that already appears to be on the brink of being lost.
When an inconsistent offense that is flirting with league averages after ranking fifth in MLB last season is on, the pitching sags. When the arms are working, the bats go silent.
Over their most recent 17-game swoon, the Mets have scored four or more runs while allowing four or fewer runs just four times — each of those instances just so happening to account for their only four wins during that stretch.
“We just need to start hitting on all cylinders,” slugger Pete Alonso said (h/t SNY). “If the pitching is good, we need the same timing with the hitting. We need to time up everything, the offense and the defense together, and minimize mistakes. If we can minimize mistakes and sync up the offense and the defense, we’ll be in an excellent spot to go on a run.
I don’t think people are pressing because this is what we do. We’re ballplayers. We play. I just think we need to sync everything up.”
