The New York Mets are spiraling at the worst possible time, losing nine of their last ten — mostly against NL East rivals.
Monday night brought yet another painful reminder of their offensive drought, falling 3–2 to the Atlanta Braves with Juan Soto supplying the only spark.
Soto’s two-run homer was the Mets’ lone big swing, a momentary flash amid an otherwise forgettable evening at the plate.
Beyond Soto’s shot, the lineup managed just five more hits, with Francisco Lindor tallying two and Brett Baty quietly adding a pair.
Brandon Nimmo chipped in a single, but the rest of the lineup from the fourth spot to the eighth went stone-cold — a brutal 0-for-18 stretch with five strikeouts.
The bottom of the Mets lineup is a problem at the moment.
Mendoza Voices Frustration Over Lineup Imbalance
Manager Carlos Mendoza didn’t sugarcoat things postgame, acknowledging the team’s top-heavy dependency and lack of support underneath.
“We’re relying pretty much on the top four or five guys,” Mendoza told SNY, sounding both honest and concerned.
He pointed to the stark contrast between early-season optimism and the current reality: an offense with multiple ice-cold bats.
When the Mets were clicking, they looked like a cohesive lineup from top to bottom. That harmony has completely unraveled.
The lineup now feels like a broken chain — and one missing link can’t carry the weight, let alone four or five at once.
DH Spot and Depth Bats Failing to Produce
Jared Young has brought little punch from the designated hitter role, and Luis Torrens doesn’t inspire much hope offensively at catcher.
Tyrone Taylor, known more for defense than his bat, remains quiet at the plate, often becoming an easy out late in games.
Even the usually reliable Jeff McNeil has regressed after a productive start of his season after returning from injury.
These depth bats are turning the lower third of the order into a dead zone, killing momentum and stranding baserunners.
In many ways, it’s like driving a car with three flat tires — no matter how powerful the engine (Soto), it won’t go far.
The Team Misses Vientos and Needs a Spark
One glaring absence is Mark Vientos, whose recent injury has robbed the lineup of a much-needed source of pop and balance.
Vientos was magnificent at the plate last year and had his moments in an inconsistent 2025, but the Mets are more than willing to have a little patience with him.
His return could at least stabilize the middle of the order, giving opposing pitchers something else to think about beyond Soto and Pete Alonso.
Until then, the pressure on the top four hitters will only intensify, which isn’t a sustainable recipe for winning games.
Opponents are zeroing in on Soto, Nimmo, and Lindor, knowing that the rest of the lineup poses little current danger.
It’s More Than Just the Pitching Depth Now
While much has been made of the Mets’ eroding pitching depth, the offense is quietly becoming an even greater liability.
That inability to cash in, particularly with runners in scoring position, is now a defining trait of this struggling squad.
Until the entire lineup becomes more balanced, no amount of elite starting pitching would be enough to change their fate.
This Mets offense needs urgency. It needs identity. And most of all, it needs production from more than just its brightest stars.
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