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NEW YORK — Even with the Mets beginning Wednesday at 10 games under .500, there was a hopeful crackle in the air at Citi Field.
Francisco Lindor, the Mets' spark plug and leading presence, was set to return from the injured list after two months healing a left calf strain.
But the offshoots of the Mets' 2026 season continued to serve as a vacuum to suck up any positivity that emerges.
In the opening game of a doubleheader against the Cubs, the Mets served up three home runs, including a grand slam to Dansby Swanson, in a 10-3 loss in the opening game. Lindor's return was still ahead in the nightcap.
The fanfare for Lindor's arrival was almost immediately snuffed out as the Mets committed six errors, bobbling away a close game and suffering a 10-5 defeat in the second half of the doubleheader in Flushing.
Every member of the Mets infield committed a fielding miscue in the loss, including Marcus Semien and Mark Vientos with two apiece.
"Embarrassing, overall, the whole day, two losses, but just the way we played overall," Carlos Mendoza said. "That last game, unacceptable. Obviously, everybody's pissed. Everybody's frustrated. It's as simple as that."
The Mets have now dropped five games in a row and seven of their last nine dating back to June 15. During their ongoing skid, which includes a pair of losses to the Phillies, the Mets have been outscored 50-19.
By the end of Wednesday's loss, Cubs fans were in full voice with a "Let's Go Cubbies!" chant. When Vientos booted a ground ball that would have been the final out of the ninth inning, ultimately allowing three more runs to score, Mets fans yearned for yesteryear by yelling "PETE A-LON-SO!"
Even with the expected boost provided by Lindor, the Mets sunk to a new low as they dropped to 12 games under .500 for the first time in 2026.
"Have to pick it up. Just tough position, but we got to pick it up," Lindor said. "We have the personnel here to pick it up. We've got to get it done."
As for the overall psyche of the Mets amid this dismal stretch?
"It's not good," Sean Manaea said. "We are playing not up to our capabilities. I don't anybody here in this room would say otherwise. We know we're better than this and just right now we're playing really, really bad baseball."
Manaea was the Mets' fourth starting pitcher in the last week to not pitch beyond the fourth inning.
It was not totally on him. In the opening inning, Lindor hesitated on a slow chopper, believing a runner was going to advance from second base and bungling the baseball. Manaea needed 30 pitches to get through the frame.
Then, Manaea's night ended without recording an out in the fourth inning. After he gave up a leadoff double to Nico Hoerner, Semien bobbled a bouncing ball and his throw pulled Vientos off the base. The next three Cubs batters singled and three runs scored to put the Cubs ahead 4-3.
"It's always going to be attention to detail on defense," Semien said. "The first step was not great on the first one and it seems like when I'm trying to pick the ball up and rush, the throws haven't been good. That happened again today. It's frustrating because I feel it's a play I could've saved and got the out and I didn't. Those ones hurt."
With the Mets trailing 6-5, they committed four errors between the seventh and ninth innings. Semien dropped a pop-up, Bo Bichette fumbled a ground ball, Vientos made a wide throw to first base and jettisoned another ground ball. The Cubs' last four runs were unearned.
The Mets' perils seeped into a new corner of the team - one built on "run prevention." The club entered the day tied for the 10th-most errors in baseball.
Semien had two errors all of last season en route to his second Gold Glove. He now has six in his last 31 games.
"It's hard to explain because they're very good defenders," Mendoza said. "The night starts with Lindor on a routine play (in his) first game back. Marcus, Bo has been pretty steady for us at third base. I think it's just hard to describe."
With Lindor re-entering the equation, both Mendoza and David Stearns both cautioned that the shortstop could not be counted upon to carry the Mets back into the playoff mix. Wednesday night's ugly loss stood as evidence.
Juan Soto remained on the sidelines for both games with back tightness and his status remains uncertain heading into Thursday.
But right now it's clear that the Mets need a collective lift, rather than one hero, to save their sinking ship.
"This is a team sport and we're all in it together," Lindor said. "There's a lot of good guys here, a lot of guys that have been through it for a very long time. My job is to play shortstop as best as I can and to be the best version of myself to help the guys and just feed off each other. That's what we all do here, and we just gotta continue to push the envelope day in and day out."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets 6 errors in loss spoils Francisco Lindor return
Continue reading...
Francisco Lindor, the Mets' spark plug and leading presence, was set to return from the injured list after two months healing a left calf strain.
But the offshoots of the Mets' 2026 season continued to serve as a vacuum to suck up any positivity that emerges.
In the opening game of a doubleheader against the Cubs, the Mets served up three home runs, including a grand slam to Dansby Swanson, in a 10-3 loss in the opening game. Lindor's return was still ahead in the nightcap.
The fanfare for Lindor's arrival was almost immediately snuffed out as the Mets committed six errors, bobbling away a close game and suffering a 10-5 defeat in the second half of the doubleheader in Flushing.
Every member of the Mets infield committed a fielding miscue in the loss, including Marcus Semien and Mark Vientos with two apiece.
"Embarrassing, overall, the whole day, two losses, but just the way we played overall," Carlos Mendoza said. "That last game, unacceptable. Obviously, everybody's pissed. Everybody's frustrated. It's as simple as that."
The Mets have now dropped five games in a row and seven of their last nine dating back to June 15. During their ongoing skid, which includes a pair of losses to the Phillies, the Mets have been outscored 50-19.
By the end of Wednesday's loss, Cubs fans were in full voice with a "Let's Go Cubbies!" chant. When Vientos booted a ground ball that would have been the final out of the ninth inning, ultimately allowing three more runs to score, Mets fans yearned for yesteryear by yelling "PETE A-LON-SO!"
Even with the expected boost provided by Lindor, the Mets sunk to a new low as they dropped to 12 games under .500 for the first time in 2026.
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"Have to pick it up. Just tough position, but we got to pick it up," Lindor said. "We have the personnel here to pick it up. We've got to get it done."
As for the overall psyche of the Mets amid this dismal stretch?
"It's not good," Sean Manaea said. "We are playing not up to our capabilities. I don't anybody here in this room would say otherwise. We know we're better than this and just right now we're playing really, really bad baseball."
Manaea was the Mets' fourth starting pitcher in the last week to not pitch beyond the fourth inning.
It was not totally on him. In the opening inning, Lindor hesitated on a slow chopper, believing a runner was going to advance from second base and bungling the baseball. Manaea needed 30 pitches to get through the frame.
Then, Manaea's night ended without recording an out in the fourth inning. After he gave up a leadoff double to Nico Hoerner, Semien bobbled a bouncing ball and his throw pulled Vientos off the base. The next three Cubs batters singled and three runs scored to put the Cubs ahead 4-3.
"It's always going to be attention to detail on defense," Semien said. "The first step was not great on the first one and it seems like when I'm trying to pick the ball up and rush, the throws haven't been good. That happened again today. It's frustrating because I feel it's a play I could've saved and got the out and I didn't. Those ones hurt."
You must be registered for see images
With the Mets trailing 6-5, they committed four errors between the seventh and ninth innings. Semien dropped a pop-up, Bo Bichette fumbled a ground ball, Vientos made a wide throw to first base and jettisoned another ground ball. The Cubs' last four runs were unearned.
The Mets' perils seeped into a new corner of the team - one built on "run prevention." The club entered the day tied for the 10th-most errors in baseball.
Semien had two errors all of last season en route to his second Gold Glove. He now has six in his last 31 games.
"It's hard to explain because they're very good defenders," Mendoza said. "The night starts with Lindor on a routine play (in his) first game back. Marcus, Bo has been pretty steady for us at third base. I think it's just hard to describe."
You must be registered for see images attach
With Lindor re-entering the equation, both Mendoza and David Stearns both cautioned that the shortstop could not be counted upon to carry the Mets back into the playoff mix. Wednesday night's ugly loss stood as evidence.
Juan Soto remained on the sidelines for both games with back tightness and his status remains uncertain heading into Thursday.
But right now it's clear that the Mets need a collective lift, rather than one hero, to save their sinking ship.
"This is a team sport and we're all in it together," Lindor said. "There's a lot of good guys here, a lot of guys that have been through it for a very long time. My job is to play shortstop as best as I can and to be the best version of myself to help the guys and just feed off each other. That's what we all do here, and we just gotta continue to push the envelope day in and day out."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets 6 errors in loss spoils Francisco Lindor return
Continue reading...
