NEW YORK – The New York mets’ season ended in disappointment Sunday, falling short of a playoff berth despite a payroll exceeding $340 million – more than four times that of playoff-bound Miami. Despite a late-season push that kept their wild card hopes alive until the final day, the Mets were shut out 4-0 by the Marlins, who spent under $70 million on their roster this year.
New York’s collapse was especially stark considering their strong start to the season. On June 12, the Mets held the best record in baseball at 45-24. However, they went 38-55 over their final 93 games, the fifth-worst record in the majors during that span. the team posted a 21-35 record from July 28 through Sept. 26.
The Mets even received a crucial assist on the final day when the cincinnati Reds lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, but were unable to capitalize.
“It’s hard to describe,” mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters after Sunday’s loss.”I just got done addressing the team, and there’s no word to describe what we’re going through. It’s pain. It’s frustration. You name it.We came in with a lot of expectations, and here we are going home. Not only did we fall short, we didn’t even get into October.”
Shortstop Francisco Lindor acknowledged the team’s responsibility, stating, “It was something that was on us, on me, on the players to get it done, and we didn’t execute. We didn’t do the job.”
Injuries to key pitchers contributed to the team’s struggles, leading to inexperienced players starting important games and a strained bullpen. The team’s highly-paid outfielder, Juan Soto, who signed a 15-year, $765 million contract in December – the largest in American professional sports history - also underperformed compared to his previous season with the Yankees.
“It’s a failure,” Soto said. “Any time you don’t make it to the playoffs or win a championship, it’s a failure.That’s how we’re going to look at it,and that’s how we’re going to go through things in the offseason.”
