It looked as if the New York Mets were finally beginning to turn things around when they were able to salvage a series split against the Atlanta Braves earlier this week, but getting swept embarrassingly by the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates proves they're nowhere near the juggernaut they looked like for much of the season before their recent rough patch. Getting swept by a team as brutal as the Pirates would've been one thing, but the Mets did so while getting outscored 30-4. It was the most lopsided series sweep in Mets history, according to Mets play-by-play broadcaster Gary Cohen.
Gary Cohen just said this is the most lopsided series by score (30-4) in Mets' history. Pretty much sums up a weekend of embarrassment that's almost beyond comprehension, considering how bad the Pirates are. Truly hard to believe how completely this has unraveled.
— John Harper (@NYNJHarper) June 29, 2025
Fellow broadcaster Ron Darling had nothing nice to say to the point where he elected to focus solely on the Pirates after Sunday's defeat.
Yes, things have gotten that bad for the Mets. The best broadcast booth in the sport has nothing to say after witnessing what they just did at PNC Park.
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Mets broadcast booth sums up recent Mets play perfectly
I, too, have just about nothing nice to say when discussing my favorite team, the Mets, right now. There is simply no excuse for play like this.
Not a single facet of the team looked good in Pittsburgh. All three of their starting pitchers got shelled, and not a single one managed to complete five innings against the worst offense in the sport. The bullpen imploded in all three games, taking the Mets completely out of those contests. It's not as if the Mets had much of a chance to win these games, though, as again, they scored four runs across an entire weekend. And Paul Skenes didn't even make an appearance for the Pirates.
Every team hits rough patches at one point or another, and the Mets, especially given their injuries, were bound to hit one at some point. Playing this poorly, though, against that team, is embarrassing. The Mets had a chance to potentially build on their NL East lead while facing one of the worst teams in the league this weekend, but instead they now sit in second place, 1.5 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies.
But while things look bleak right now, the Mets' season is far from over.
It's still too early to panic about the Mets
The main cause for the team's rough play of late has been its pitching. New York's pitching carried the team through the first couple of months of the season, but with five starters and five relievers on the IL, it's been nothing short of disastrous on that front. I mean, in the last three weeks alone, the Mets have lost Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning and Max Kranick to injuries, and Sean Manaea had a setback. Manaea and Brooks Raley are both on rehab assignments right now and should be with the team sooner rather than later, at least.
The offense (outside of Juan Soto) has not performed during their two-week slump, but does anyone think that will persist the remainder of the season? The Mets could probably use another bat, but a lineup headlined by Soto, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo is bound to score runs in bunches, right? The upcoming return of Jesse Winker should give the lineup much-needed length, too.
Things are bad right now, but even with their lackluster play, the Mets still sit just 1.5 games back of first place in the NL East, and hold sole possession of the first Wild Card spot in the NL. New York should be embarrassed by how its played lately, but that does not mean the season is over. An off day to clear their heads and a return to Citi Field, where they've gone 29-12 on the year, could be exactly what the doctor ordered.
As hard as it is to be patient, there's reason to believe this team will be just fine. All Mets fans can hope is that Darling will never struggle to find anything nice to say about the Mets again.