51 Games In, The Mets' World Series Dreams Are Buried in the NL East Basement

Can you even believe what's happening with the New York Mets right now? It feels like just yesterday they were talking World Series, big dreams and all that jazz to kick off the 2026 season. Fast forward 51 games, and guess what? They're literally fighting to claw their way out of last place in the National League East. Seriously. The Miami Marlins just nudged them back into the basement on Friday night, taking a 2-1 win and seizing fourth place. What a gut punch, right? New York had just managed to escape that bottom spot for the first time since April 28, only to get slammed right back down.

The Struggle Is Real: Mets Can't Find Consistency

It's tough to watch a team that had such high hopes just totally fall apart like this. The Mets have dropped three of their last four games, and they've been outscored 20-13 during that skid. It's a tale as old as time, but their offense and pitching just haven't been able to sync up all season. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza tried to put a positive spin on things, saying, "You take the positives. Obviously, it's not what you want as far as the results, not getting the job done, not able to get the win." But honestly, what positives are there when you're looking up at everyone else? This current slump is a brutal contrast to an earlier seven-game stretch where they went 6-1 and outscored opponents a dominant 53-29. Where did *that* team go?

Marlins Edge Out a Win, But Their Own Road Is Rocky

On the flip side, the Marlins snagged that 2-1 victory Friday thanks to some solid pitching and defense. Eury Perez and a crew of relievers combined for a three-hitter, which is pretty sweet when you only score two runs yourself. Perez was sharp, giving up just two hits, both to Juan Soto, who absolutely crushed a homer and later singled. And shoutout to Marlins center fielder Jakob Marsee, who straight up robbed Mets leadoff hitter Carson Benge twice with highlight-reel catches. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough wasn't wrong when he said, "To win games like that 2-1, you generally are going to need a little bit of luck on your side and also (are) going to have to make some plays." Even with the win, the Marlins aren't exactly cruising, sitting 13 games behind the Atlanta Braves. Consistency has been a huge issue for them too, with an 8-13 record this month and only one instance of winning back-to-back games. On Saturday, Freddy Peralta (3-3, 3.31 ERA) is on the mound for the Mets, facing off against Max Meyer (4-0, 2.85 ERA) for the Marlins. Meyer's been solid, recently throwing six scoreless innings in a 12-0 win against the Braves. Peralta, meanwhile, didn't get a decision in his last start, giving up three runs in five innings during a 7-6 extra-inning win over the Yankees. Saturday afternoon's game is more than just another game for these two teams; it's a battle to escape the very bottom of the NL East. Someone's gotta start turning things around, and fast. Meanwhile, our boys in the Emerald City are looking good: Seattle Mariners 2 @ Kansas City Royals 0 , FINAL. Always good to see a W for the home team!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.