Mets’ Situational Hitting Struggles Continue Against Orioles

The Mets were thrown into a Thursday doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles after a torrential downpour on Wednesday evening, and things didn’t go very well for the blue and orange. 

New York dropped both games, and while the pitching staff had its ups and downs, the offense took center stage in postgame criticism. 

Outside of a strong performance from David Peterson, who put together a stellar outing in Game 1, the lineup failed to deliver when it mattered most.

Across the two games, the Mets went a combined 2-for-19 with runners in scoring position and left 14 men stranded on base. The heart of the order (the “Fab Four,” as dubbed by owner Steve Cohen) came up particularly short, collecting just four hits in 27 at-bats.

“Our situational hitting, we didn’t execute,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after Game 1. “We had a runner at second base with nobody out I think four times and we didn’t get the guy over. That’s the game right there.”

It was a frustrating pair of losses, not just for the team, but for fans who have seen this storyline unfold far too often this season. The Mets have struggled mightily to convert scoring opportunities into runs, and Thursday’s twin bill was the latest example.

As of July 11, the Mets rank No. 28 in the league with a .227 batting average when runners are in scoring position.

Their OPS in those situations sits at No. 20 (.716): hardly elite, but marginally better. Perhaps most concerning, though, is their BABIP (batting average on balls in play) with RISP, which ranks dead last among all 30 teams at .251. Even the White Sox, who sit 31 games under .500 and are in last place in the AL Central, have managed a slightly better mark at .256. 

These numbers point to a larger issue: the Mets aren’t just unlucky, they’re failing to execute in the most critical moments. Whether it’s poor situational hitting or a lack of approach, the offense has consistently let opportunities slip away.

With the All-Star break around the corner and the trade deadline approaching, the Mets need answers, and fast. Let’s see if they can find them in Kansas City.

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