The New York Mets have been slumping lately. Even after acquiring Cedric Mullins and several key bullpen arms at the trade deadline, they currently look lost. They are 2-8 in their last 10 games, have lost four in a row and are now 2.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. They still are in possession of the third Wild Card spot, but the odds of a deep playoff run currently look grim.
The offense has been their main issue of late, and it has been plaguing them for quite some time. Following a 4-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians in which they were nearly no-hit by right-hander Gavin Williams, Carlos Mendoza discussed the team's offensive struggles and made clear that something has to change.
"Our coaches are working really hard, they continue to have those discussions with the players - but we've got to do it," he said on Wednesday.
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Carlos Mendoza makes clear Mets need to make changes, and it should start with Eric Chavez
Mendoza also called out the Mets for struggling to make adjustments offensively in the middle of games. While he isn't necessarily throwing anybody under the bus, his comments might shed light on a bigger issue: namely, that the Mets need to replace Eric Chavez and seek out a new hitting coach.
Since Chavez was hired, the Mets have struggled offensively and still don't seem to have an answer at times. A fresh voice could be just what they need in order to burst out of their offensive funk and maintain their position in the playoff chase.
New York is just three games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for the final Wild Card spot, and while the Reds haven't been setting the world on fire, neither have the Mets. They cannot rely on the Reds to lose in order to clinch the last Wild Card spot.
Instead, they must make changes, and it starts with Chavez. If this lineup continues to struggle making adjustments, a certain amount of blame needs to fall on the coaching staff. Mendoza isn't singling anybody out or mentioning people by name, but it's clear that he knows the Mets are in desperate need of changes.
We'll see if the Mets decide to do something about this before their losing streak gets out of hand. They open up a crucial three-game series this weekend against the Milwaukee Brewers, who have the best record in all of baseball. They can't afford to let this go on much longer, or they could be in trouble.