1 Up, 5 Down: Mets Lay An Egg Against Nationals

It is getting late early for the New York Mets.

Time is running out for this team to prove that they are good and deserve to make the playoffs. A miserable series in Washington hardly helped to further that cause.

After building some momentum with three straight wins, including taking the series opener against the Nationals, things seemed to be on the up. Then reality set back in once again. The Mets lost back-to-back inexcusable games to the Nationals to continue this team’s path to self-destruction.

As a so-called contender, the Mets shouldn’t be losing series to bad teams like the Nats this late in the season. Especially in the manner they dropped both games.

Therefore, it is only right that we change our approach today. Instead of the usual 3 Up, 3 Down format, we are shifting to 1 Up, 5 Down to better reflect what was yet just another awful and, potentially, hugely costly series for the Mets…

1 UP

SAVING GRACE

The Mets should be thankful that they have David Peterson this year. What spot might this team be in if it weren’t for the consistent efforts of the lefty in 2025? Shaking off a bad last start, Peterson was back to his reliable best in his latest outing on Tuesday. He allowed just one run on four hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts. More impressive is the fact that Peterson went a full eight innings, a very rare feat by any Mets starter in 2025. Peterson has developed into an incredibly trusty workhorse for this team this year. And he’s the only real saving grace for this faltering starting rotation right now, too.

5 DOWN

TIME IS RUNNING OUT

The Mets are really starting to run out of rope when it comes to proving they are a good team. Built to be a contender, they’ve instead been one of the worst teams in baseball for a considerable stretch now. The Mets are 22-36 since mid-June – that’s two less wins than the Colorado Rockies. Yes, you read that right. No team has been worse than New York over the past 21 games, either. And dropping two out of three to a bad team like the Nationals in late August isn’t acceptable. Only the expanded playoff format can save this team now, but even that won’t be enough if this current slide continues. With the Cincinnati Reds just a half game back, time is running out for the Mets to get the train back on the tracks.

NO X-FACTOR

The Mets haven’t had one guy who has been able to step up and put the team on his shoulders all year long. That guy should have been Juan Soto, but it just hasn’t happened. Aside from a red-hot June, Soto has struggled to be the difference-maker for this team. That was on full display at his former home. The four-time All-Star went a combined 1-for-12 against the Nationals, including a 0-for-5 outing in the finale on Thursday. Soto had just one extra-base hit all series, compared to six strikeouts. That isn’t what you want to see from your best hitter this late in the season against a bad team. Soto’s debut year in Queens has been underwhelming, and it could finish badly unless he morphs into the unstoppable, superstar hitter we all know he is. The Mets need vintage Soto. And now.

SNAKE-BITTEN

Not only are the Mets not very good right now, but they are also starting to lose some key bodies at an alarming rate. Francisco Alvarez was officially placed on the IL at the beginning of this series, and his status for the rest of the season is still up in the air. If that wasn’t bad enough, Brandon Nimmo was pulled from Wednesday’s game with neck stiffness. He wasn’t in the lineup on Thursday, either. Then, to compound matters further, Jeff McNeil is now said to be dealing with right shoulder soreness. He was only available off the bench in the finale. With Jesse Winker making no progress in his recovery from a back injury, this already ailing lineup isn’t getting any help anytime soon. Therefore, the Mets can’t afford to lose any more key pieces of this offense for any stretch of time.

FADING ACES

Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea were meant to carry this rotation upon their return. Instead, they’ve only added to the starting pitching woes. Both Senga and Manaea were bad in Washington. Senga allowed five runs – four earned – on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts across just five innings on Wednesday. Senga owned a stellar 1.39 ERA in his first 14 starts. He is now carrying a bloated 6.00 ERA over his last six starts. Meanwhile, in the series finale, Manaea struck out eight but allowed four runs while lasting just 4 2/3 innings. The lefty has not been good for the most part since returning from the IL, and he seems to be trending in the wrong direction. He has now allowed a total of 19 earned runs over his last six starts. In totality, Senga and Manaea combined to allow nine runs (eight earned) over 9 2/3 innings against the Nats. This team is in trouble for a slew of different reasons, but they really are doomed if Senga and Manaea can’t turn their seasons around.

LAYING A GODZILLA-SIZED EGG

This offense continues to stun for all the wrong reasons. Fresh from an offensive explosion in the series opener, the lineup came up short in a number of big spots in the remainder of the series. Luis Torrens grounded out with the bases loaded in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s contest, effectively ending the game. Torrens also failed to cash in with a runner on in the ninth inning. Then, on Thursday, the Mets blew a 3-0 lead and couldn’t solve the Nationals’ bullpen for the second straight game. In total, this offense managed just two hits in eight innings against the worst-ranked bullpen in all of baseball. Yes, you read that right. That just isn’t good enough. Furthermore, the Mets went a combined 6-for-22 with RISP, leaving a total of 20 runners stranded on base. If this so-called explosive lineup can’t beat up on a bad bullpen, how will it navigate tough pitching in the playoffs?

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