51 Games In, The Mets Are Fighting For Last Place And Nobody In New York Is Ready For It

Can you even believe what's happening over on the East Coast? Remember back at the start of the 2026 season, when the New York Mets were talking about the World Series? Yeah, well, we're 51 games into the campaign, and they are officially in a knockdown, drag-out brawl just to get out of the National League East basement. And get this: the Miami Marlins, who just edged them out, are the ones holding them there. It's wild, man.

The Mets Are Scrambling, And It's Getting Ugly

The Mets were in last place on April 28, climbed out for a day, and now they're right back in it after dropping Friday's game to the Marlins 2-1. They've lost three of their last four games, and honestly, the numbers don't lie. They've been outscored 20-13 in those past four. Think about that for a second. Twenty to thirteen. This team just can't seem to get their offense and pitching on the same page for more than a minute, and it's been the story of their first two disappointing months. It’s a total head-scratcher, especially after they went on a scorching 6-1 run just before this skid, outscoring opponents 53-29 in that stretch. Manager Carlos Mendoza is out there trying to find the "positives," saying, "Obviously, it's not what you want as far as the results, not getting the job done, not able to get the win." Tough talk when you're scrapping for fourth. For today's Saturday afternoon matchup, Freddy Peralta (3-3, 3.31 ERA) is on the mound for the Mets. His last start was a 7-6 extra-inning win over the Yankees, where he gave up three runs in five innings but didn't factor into the decision. Historically, he's 3-4 with a 4.03 ERA against these same Marlins.

Marlins Are Scraping By, But It Counts

On the other side, the Marlins aren't exactly setting the world on fire either, but they're getting the job done. They've only won consecutive games once this whole month, going 8-13, but that 2-1 victory on Friday was huge, lifting them past the Mets. That was the first time they'd won a game scoring two runs or fewer since April 28, when they beat the Dodgers 2-1. Talk about relying on your defense and pitching! Eury Perez and a few Marlins relievers held the Mets to just three hits. And man, Juan Soto got both of them, with a homer and a single! Shoutout to center fielder Jakob Marsee too, who put on a clinic with two highlight-reel catches, robbing Carson Benge at the wall twice. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough hit it on the head: "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." For their part, Max Meyer (4-0, 2.85 ERA) is slated to start for the Marlins. He just picked up a win after throwing six scoreless innings in a 12-0 blowout against the Braves. He's 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in two starts against the Mets. Today's game is the middle one of a three-game set, and honestly, the stakes couldn't be clearer for these two. It's a battle to escape the NL East basement, a fight for some kind of consistency, and a desperate grab for any momentum they can find. Who's gonna show up today? We're all watching.

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