New York Mets analyst Ron Darling is one of the best announcers in baseball, and he’s not known for his hyperbole. He was also a brilliant starter for the club who’s been up in the booth for years, so when he makes a statement, fellow experts, players and fans all pay attention.
"He prolonged their season in 2024," said Darling in an ESPN story written by David Schoenfield, referring to first basemen Pete Alonso's ninth-inning home run to beat the Milwaukee Brewers in the wild-card series. "He might have saved their season in 2025."
Anyone paying attention to the quality of the Mets play during their recent eight-game losing streak would be hard-pressed to dispute Darling’s bold statement. The Mets have been finding new and painful ways to lose games, and Alonso’s walk-off, three-run blast in the 10th inning against the Texas Rangers on Sunday did a lot more than just help New York salvage the final game of the three-game set. It also stopped the bleeding and gave the Mets a chance to reset before the San Diego Padres arrive for a vital three-game series at Citi Field on Tuesday.
The story also outlined the reasons for the Mets struggles, although the first two points amounted to stomping on the obvious. The team’s starting pitching has gone from first in the majors through June 12th with an ERA of 2.79 to 24th with an ERA of 5.09 since then.
The bullpen has been just as bad, if not worse. The Mets pen was second in the majors through that same date with an ERA of 2.82, but that ERA since has plummeted to 5.04 for a rank of 26th. The chief culprit cited was reliever Ryan Helsley, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the St. Louis Cardinals.
The inconsistency of the offense was also cited, but this is a lesser reason for sure. The Mets are still getting more than 4.5 runs a game, but stars like Alonso, superstar right fielder Juan Soto and shortstop Francisco Lindor have displayed a disturbing tendency to disappear for brief stretches when their production is needed most.
The Mets would love to think these struggles are behind them, but the proof will happen on the field, despite Soto’s claim that “we have everything we need to go all the way.” The series opens with New York starting right-hander Clay Holmes, while the Padres will counter with another righty, Michael King.