The "World Series" Mets Are 13.5 Games Back in May and Nobody Can Believe It

Alright, you guys, can we just talk about this for a sec? Remember back in, like, March, when the Mets were talking World Series? Yeah, me too. Fast forward 51 games into the 2026 season and it's May 23rd, and they're staring up at everybody from the bottom of the National League East. Seriously, what in the name of the Emerald City is going on down there?

Mets' Season Gone Sideways, Fast

This whole situation is wild, right? Just yesterday, the Mets had finally clawed their way out of last place for the first time since April 28, and then BAM! Miami slaps them with a 2-1 loss, and New York is right back in the basement. They're now 13 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves. Manager Carlos Mendoza is out here saying you gotta "take the positives," but when you've been outscored 20-13 over your last four games, and you've lost three of those four, it's tough to find many bright spots.

The craziest part? Just before this latest skid, they actually had a run where they went 6-1 and outscored opponents 53-29 over seven games. So, they know how to hit, they know how to pitch, but they just can't seem to get it together at the same time. Freddy Peralta, who's 3-3 with a 3.31 ERA, is on the bump for them Saturday, trying to turn the ship around. He gave up three runs over five innings last Sunday when they edged the Yankees 7-6 in extras. That's a grind, not a turnaround.

Marlins Are Finding Ways, Barely

Meanwhile, the Marlins aren't exactly setting the world on fire either, going 8-13 this month. They've only managed to win back-to-back games once in May. But Friday night? Miami pulled off a 2-1 win thanks to some clutch pitching and defense. Eury Perez was an absolute beast, only giving up two hits through 6 1/3 innings, both to Juan Soto. And shoutout to center fielder Jakob Marsee for those highlight reel catches at the wall, robbing Carson Benge not once, but twice!

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said it himself: "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." They literally won a game scoring two runs or fewer for the first time since April 28! That's how tight it is. Max Meyer, who's 4-0 with a 2.85 ERA, is pitching for Miami on Saturday. He just threw six scoreless innings in a 12-0 blowout win against the Braves, so he's feeling good.

So, here we are, another Saturday afternoon, and these two teams are back at it. Can the Mets finally find some consistency and climb out of the absolute bottom? Or will the Marlins keep scraping by with their pitching and defense? It’s a middle game of a three game series, and for one of these squads, they're just trying to figure out how to get things to click. While they figure it out, our Mariners just shut out the Royals 2-0. Now THAT'S how you play ball!

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