Carlos Mendoza didn’t mince words late Sunday afternoon. The Mets finished their nine-game road trip with a 5-4 record, facing the Angels, Rockies, and Diamondbacks, but they let a golden opportunity slip away. After sealing a winning streak with a 3-1 victory over Arizona on Friday night, their offense went silent, managing just seven hits and two runs over two straight losses, leaving a bitter taste on the trip’s tail end.
“You could say on this road trip we went 5-4, but we’re better than that, especially the last couple of days,” Mendoza told reporters. “We needed to be better.”
The Mets missed a chance to close the gap in the NL East, and now they head home with a major-league-worst 15-25 record, trailing the Braves (29-13) by 12.5 games. The upcoming homestand features three games against the Tigers followed by the Subway Series with the Yankees.
**Soto and Bichette Fail to Deliver as 1-2 Punch**
The Mets’ offense sputtered to end the trip, and their expected catalysts went missing. Across the three-game series in Arizona, Juan Soto was 0-for-10 with two walks, two strikeouts, and no runs or RBI. Bo Bichette mirrored that futility: 0-for-10 with two walks and no contributions. With Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. sidelined by injuries, Soto and Bichette’s impact is crucial, but they came up empty this weekend.
Soto blamed Arizona pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, who allowed just one earned run in 8⅓ innings Sunday, for setting the tone. “He was throwing the ball well,” Soto said. “He was being careful with the big guys and being aggressive with the guys he thought he could be aggressive (with). I think that’s what he did.”
Soto’s May slump has been stark: he’s slashing .121/.231/.273 with one homer, two RBI, and five walks, dropping his average from .345 to .264. “It’s tough. I’ve just been missing a lot of balls,” Soto added. “They’ve been throwing me pitches right there, and I’m a little under. I’ve been working with my hitting coaches, swinging the bat, doing my routines and working on mechanics. We’re at the point where you just got to stop missing it.”
**Polanco and Robert Jr. Still on the Mend**
The Mets’ offense, which ranks last in MLB in OPS (.628), second-fewest runs (169), and second-worst batting average (.222), won’t see reinforcements soon. Jorge Polanco, dealing with Achilles bursitis since early April and a right wrist contusion that landed him on the injured list retroactive to April 15, is still hobbled by his left leg.
“Some good days, some other days when it’s not as good,” Mendoza said. “He did baseball activities (Saturday). Nothing new there. It’s more the bursitis he’s dealing with. The wrist is in a good place, it’s just the same thing he was dealing with from the very beginning.”
Meanwhile, Luis Robert Jr. hasn’t resumed baseball activities after an injection for a herniated disc in his lower back, leaving the Mets waiting for help that remains weeks away.
