“You look at the talent there; we’re one hit away, making one play, making one pitch. We’re close.” These words from the manager, Carlos Mendoza, define the Mets’ season in a nutshell. On their day, they are good enough to beat any team in the league. But it has rarely been their day this season, especially since June. The Mets had the best record in MLB (45-24) from Opening Day through June 12, but have since stumbled to 17 games below .500. And now, after losing to the Nationals 3-2, the Mets are facing a real possibility of missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. And though Mendoza may seem bullish about their chances, not everyone shares his optimism.

After losing 11 games out of the last 15, Juan Soto and Co. are no longer in full control of their postseason destiny. With the Cincinnati Reds’ win against the Cubs, they are now in the driving seat for the final wild-card spot. Mets Daily Show host Jake Brown took a massive dig at the Mets for their self-implosion in recent months.

“The Mets should be embarrassed. A series loss to a last-place team that looked ready for Cancun. Maybe the Mets are the ones ready for Cancun. They no longer control their own destiny for the playoffs. A Reds win today & they take over the 3rd Wild Card spot. Pathetic,” he noted.

The Mets’ Sunday loss, paired with the Cincinnati Reds’ win over the Cubs, means that New York will be heading into the last week outside of the NL playoff picture. Both the teams—the Mets and the Reds are 80-76, tied for the last Wild Card spot. However, the Reds have an edge. They hold a crucial tiebreaker, which would assure them the spot in case teams finish with the same record.

Now, the Mets will look to take control of their upcoming three-game series against the Chicago Cubs, starting Tuesday, before they go against the Marlins in Miami. Given that it has nearly been an unfathomable fall for the Mets, president of baseball operations David Stearns has now come under unwelcome scrutiny.

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Could the Mets let go of David Stearns’ five-year deal after this season?

One of the major reasons why the Mets have slumped this badly is because of lapses in David Stearns’ roster construction. You see, after the 2023 season, when Stearns signed a five-year deal with the Mets, Metsies were happy to have him on board.

That’s because he had done a great job with the Milwaukee Brewers previously. But now this season, when the club is on the verge of missing the playoffs, fans have been calling for him to step down. However, Steve Cohen would likely keep him for the next season too. The thing is, Stearns’ contract does not have an opt-out option. So, the Mets are very likely to stick with him for the 2026 season and maybe 2027 as well.

If the Mets do miss the playoffs eventually and Stearns stays, he will have no option but to make some serious roster decisions. Except for Juan Soto’s signing, which has been his only saving grace, this has been a year to forget for Stearns.

Trades of Cedric Mullins and Ryan Helsley have done no good to the Mets. The Mets are known to bid higher than other clubs, so Stearns will be expected to make better decisions than he did this season.

The club cannot rely on rookies, and now that Pete Alonso is likely to leave, Stearns needs to find a way to keep him. With Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo, and Pete Alonso, the Mets should have been in the playoff picture. But they were always just “one-hit away” but never quite there.