10 Games Under .500 and a 41-Strikeout Skid: The Mets Are in Freefall and Nobody's Talking About It

Holy smokes, you guys, what is going on out there in Queens? We’re just watching the MLB season unfold, and some teams are *already* in full-blown panic mode. Like the New York Mets, who just got absolutely clobbered 7-2 by the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. That loss pushed them to a brutal 22-32 record, a full ten games under .500. Ten games under, can you believe it? And honestly, the stat that’s going to make you spill your coffee: they've racked up an insane 41 strikeouts while only scoring four runs during this latest, miserable four-game losing streak. You heard that right. Forty-one strikeouts!

Nolan McLean's ERA Nightmare and a Wild Pitch Problem

The biggest gut punch from Monday’s game came from Nolan McLean. This dude was supposed to be a bright spot. Remember him? He was 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA in eight starts last year and even snagged a rotation spot for the U.S. in this year's World Baseball Classic. Now? He's struggling hard for the first time since his big league debut last August. He gave up a career-worst seven runs in a career-low 3⅓ innings against the Reds. His ERA, which was a respectable 2.92, has ballooned to a horrifying 4.40 after just two poor starts. Yikes.

McLean himself admitted, "Just haven't been pitching my best, and I've got to be better." Mets manager Carlos Mendoza pointed out, "He's having a hard time landing the secondary pitches for strikes. There's a ton of movement, especially side to side. He's getting into bad counts." It’s obvious too. He hit Sal Stewart with a pitch, loaded the bases, gave up an RBI forceout to Spencer Steer, and then threw a run-scoring wild pitch. Later, JJ Bleday homered and Tyler Stephenson hit a two-run drive after another Steer single. McLean thinks he overdid it between starts, saying, "I think I was a little bit too much intent touching the mound this past week, and it translated a little bit into some fatigue." Whatever it is, batters are hitting a ridiculous .296 against him with runners on, compared to just .166 with the bases empty. Mendoza's right, they need to "dive deep here because obviously something's off, for sure."

Injuries Piling Up and the Season Slipping Away

Beyond McLean's struggles, the Mets are just falling apart, literally. Outfielder Tyrone Taylor left Monday's game with right hip pain and is likely headed to the IL after an MRI. Star slugger Juan Soto missed his second straight game battling a fever. That’s not all, either. They’re already without shortstop Francisco Lindor due to a strained left calf, catcher Francisco Alvarez who had surgery to repair a torn right meniscus in his right knee, and Jorge Polanco, who's got a bruised. It’s a full-on injury crisis, and it just keeps getting worse for them.

Their record, 22-32, is one game shy of their season low of 11 games under .500 at 10-21. This team was 45-24 by June 13 last year, but they’ve gone 60-87 since then. That's a brutal slide. As Carlos Mendoza starkly put it, "We're not putting ourselves in a good position, obviously. I've been saying it: 'It's not early anymore.'" And he’s right. For the Mets, the season is slipping away, and they need to turn it around fast or it’s going to be a long, painful summer. Keep your eyes peeled, because if they can’t figure out McLean and get their guys healthy, this ship is going down, fast.

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