Remember when the Boston Red Sox had the “curse of the Bambino,” which lasted for 86 years? Well, the New York Mets seem to be treading on that same path. Many fans think that the Mets are in a slump because of New York’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
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After hearing what fans had to say and the reporter questioning him about this, the mayor responded, “There’s a lot of baseball left to be played, and I am still keeping the faith… I will accept being addressed as Mayor ‘Mambino’ for the day.”
Mets fans are hoping the “Curse of the Mambino” ends quickly.
The streak supposedly started on April 9, when Mayor Mamdani visited Citi Field and hugged Mr. Met before the game. At that point, the Mets were looking solid with a 7-4 record. They were on a 4-game winning streak, but everything changed that day.
They lost 7-1 against the D-backs and haven’t won since. The team is currently on a 12-game losing streak. They got swept by the Athletics, the Dodgers, and the Cubs. And then, today came with the Minnesota Twins, where they blew a 3-run lead.
Curse or not, the Mets really have a massive problem with how the team is doing.
Mayor Mamdani addresses the Mets’ 11-game losing streak, saying he’d accept being called Mayor Mambino today, a nod to Post coverage I believe “There's a lot of baseball left to be played, and I am still keeping the faith,” Mamdani said.
In five of those losses, the starting pitching allowed seven or more runs, showing that they are not as reliable as they were thought to be. In eight of those games, the offense scored fewer than three runs. The bullpen posted an ERA above 5.00 over two weeks, showing how unreliable they are.
The New York Mets average only 3.27 runs per game compared to the projected 4.64 when the season started. Key hitters like Francisco Lindor, Bo Bichette, and Marcus Semien hit a combined .218.
The lineup ranks at the bottom in both runs scored and on-base percentage (30th). They rank 25th in hits, showing that the team’s offense is failing to get a bat on the ball. The club has become the first team to have four or fewer hits in five consecutive games since 2004, which was held by NYM only without ‘Mambino!’
They also make contact too deep, around 28.4 inches, below the ideal 30-inch mark. That leads to fewer fly balls and takes away the chances of hitting deep fly balls.
The starting rotation has been average, ranking 18th with a 4.10 ERA and 12th with just 205 strikeouts.
Pitchers like Freddy Peralta, who have an ERA of 4.05, have provided stability but have not shown the dominance that was expected. Meanwhile, Kodai Senga is struggling badly. He is throwing just as hard as last year, but his command is all over the place, leaving him with an ugly 8.83 ERA.
The bullpen, with pitchers like Sean Manaea, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams, ranks 30th in strikeouts, according to Inside The Pen.
Injuries have not helped the Mets either.
The team announced that Juan Soto suffered a right calf strain. Soto was hitting .355 before getting sidelined on April 3. They also lost Jorge Polanco to a right wrist contusion.
But even though it is their longest streak since 2002, Zohran Mamdani still believes in a ‘lot of baseball’ being pending, echoing the hope shared by many fans across Queens.
The projections still see offense improving closer to expected output as the season progresses. Players like Lindor have started slow before, but when crunch time arrives, they usually step up. After all, it was his homer that gave momentum to the NYM against the Twins.
Now, as some joke around and blame Mayor Mamdani, the Mets skipper is facing the real heat.
Mayor Mamdani is not the only one getting blamed for the Mets’ slump
Pressure around Carlos Mendoza has increased after the 11-game losing streak. Fans are openly demanding that Carlos Mendoza get fired.
Per Ken Rosenthal, “The potential replacements for Mendoza would include farm director Andy Green, who managed the San Diego Padres from 2016 to ’19; bench coach Kai Correa, who has never managed; and newly elected Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran, who has never coached or managed.”
The last time the Mets endured 11 straight losses was back in 2004, and that led to the firing of Art Howe. If the losing continues, the pressure from fans and media will intensify further and might lead to Mendoza getting the boot.
Mendoza hasn’t exactly helped his own case, either.
In a game against the Cubs, he made a controversial decision, including pitching changes that quickly backfired. Freddy Peralta was removed in the sixth inning, and Brooks Raley came in.
Raley allowed a three-run homer.
In one of the games, Tobias Myers got the start, while regular starter David Peterson was strangely brought in as a reliever later on. In one of the losses, the Mets chose not to walk Nico Hoerner, and he cost the team another game.
The players have shown support for Carlos Mendoza despite the ongoing losing streak. David Stearns has publicly backed him before the Cubs series.
Last season’s collapse erased playoff hope and weakened trust after a strong run in 2024. Many analysts argue that managers have a limited impact on daily results in modern baseball. But still, Mendoza remains the visible target because he represents the team to the outside world.
But even if the Mets replace Mendoza, it may not significantly change team performance.
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MLB, Baseball Herren, USA New York Mets at Atlanta Braves Jun 19, 2025 Atlanta, Georgia, USA New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza 64 in the dugout before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Atlanta Truist Park Georgia USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBrettxDavisx 20250619_bdd_ad1_003
Roster issues and inconsistent hitting have defined the Mets’ struggles throughout the season. The Mets appear poorly built for a postseason run despite a high payroll of over $350 million entering 2026.
Even after Nolan McLean threw 5 perfect innings on Tuesday against the Twins, with a Luke Keaschall RBI single off McLean in the seventh, things turned around for Minnesota. They rallied against Devin Williams on two walks and a sacrifice bunt attempt by Mark Vientos to third base, where all three runners reached base safely in the ninth inning. Then, Keaschall’s go-ahead single only amplified the damage.
The New York Mets’ latest 5-3 loss took the record to 7-16, marking the worst one in MLB. Mendoza admitted how badly it all “sucks,” especially “how Lindor sets the tone there with a three-run homer, you feel like you’re getting some momentum. But then after that, we couldn’t do anything else.”
