The Mets entered 2026 with high expectations and an enormous payroll, second only to the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers. There was optimism these deep pockets could lead to the team's first crown since 1986, or at the very least, a run to the first National League pennant since 2015. Dollars have translated into victories on the West Coast, as Los Angeles sports the best record in baseball at 15–6. In the Big Apple, things are looking rather brown and moldy. After suffering a weekend sweep in Chicago at the hands of the Cubs, the Mets are now 7–15 and riding an 11-game losing streak.
Only the 1951 Giants have been able to rebound from such a prolonged skid to make the playoffs and their stumble also occurred in April when there is plenty of time to right the ship. But trying to become just the second team in MLB to scratch and claw back to the postseason is not a great fate to accept at this early stage. And then there's the question of how they would even advance deep into October should they earn a ticket.
