Mets’ Season Ends in Disappointment: Miss Playoffs After Loss
UPDATE: The New York Mets have officially missed the playoffs after a devastating 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on October 1, 2023, crushing their postseason hopes on the final day of the regular season. This defeat caps a tumultuous season that saw the Mets go from World Series contenders to bottom feeders.
With a win, the Mets could have secured the last National League wild card spot, especially after the Cincinnati Reds lost to the Milwaukee Brewers. Instead, the Mets finished with a disappointing record of 83-79, tied with the Reds but missing out on postseason play due to a head-to-head tiebreaker.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expressed the team’s frustration, stating, “It’s pain. It’s frustration. We came in with a lot of expectations, and here we are going home.” Players echoed this sentiment, with shortstop Francisco Lindor adding, “It was something that was on us… we didn’t execute. We didn’t do the job.” The Mets are left grappling with the reality of their epic collapse.
After a promising start to the season, where they boasted the best record in baseball by June 12, the Mets fell apart, going just 38-55 in the second half of the season. Injuries plagued key players, including ace Kodai Senga, whose hamstring strain marked a turning point for the team.
In a stark contrast to last season’s playoff run, the Mets’ pitching staff was unable to deliver consistently. The final game saw rookie pitcher Brandon Sproat struggle, allowing four runs over 4.2 innings, while the bullpen could not stabilize the game. This lack of depth and performance under pressure ultimately led to their undoing.
“It’s beyond frustration,” said Pete Alonso, who confirmed he will opt out of his contract, becoming a free agent this offseason. “It’s straight-up disappointing. We fell short. I mean, we didn’t even get to October.”
The Mets had high hopes for the 2023 season, driven by their record-setting signing of Juan Soto, who joined the team with the richest contract in North American sports history at $765 million. However, despite early optimism, the team’s performance dwindled, leading to this disheartening end.
As the team reflects on their season, they join the ranks of previous Mets collapses in 2007 and 2008, where postseason dreams also died on the last day. “It’s a failure,” Soto stated bluntly. “Anytime you don’t make it to the playoffs, it’s a failure.”
With the Reds moving forward into a three-game wild card series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets will head home, tasked with addressing the multitude of issues that derailed their season. Fans are left wondering how such high expectations turned into such a profound disappointment.
As the offseason approaches, the Mets must regroup and reassess their strategy, with players and management alike vowing to learn from this painful experience. The future of the franchise hangs in the balance as they look to bounce back in the 2024 season.
