Mets Fail to Gain Ground in NL East Amid Offensive Woes

On September 9th, 2025, the Mets faced a crucial matchup against the Phillies, with their playoff hopes hanging in the balance. Despite a strong outing from rookie pitcher Nolan McLean, the Mets' offense was held in check, managing just 5 hits in a 1-0 loss.

McLean, making his fifth career start, proved his worth as a potential Game 1 starter in the postseason, allowing just one run on seven hits with three walks in 5 1/3 innings. The young right-hander adjusted his approach, relying less on his best pitch, the sweeper, and instead mixing in his fastball, curveball, and changeup to keep the Phillies' lineup off balance.

However, the Mets' bats were unable to provide any run support. Cedric Mullins, a trade deadline acquisition, continued his struggles, going 0-for-2 and extending his hitless streak to 26 at-bats over the past 10 games. The Mets' best chance to tie the game came in the ninth inning, when Pete Alonso singled and Mark Vientos doubled to put runners on second and third with one out. But Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez were unable to deliver the clutch hit, as the Mets fell 8 games back in the NL East race with just 18 games remaining.

Manager Carlos Mendoza expressed his frustration with the team's inconsistency, stating, "We've been pretty inconsistent. We put ourselves in this position, which we're still right there, obviously. The goal is to win the division. We're eight back now... But we've got to keep going."