Jun 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) pitches in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

New York Mets lose despite impressive bullpen effort

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Ezra Lombardi | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Things haven't been pretty for the New York Mets as of late.

The club has lost nine of their last ten games, and just dropped their fourth straight to their hated division rival, the Atlanta Braves.

After Sunday night's loss to another NL East foe in the Philadelphia Phillies, manager Carlos Mendoza explained that his biggest concern in these losses is the extent to which they have had to lean on their bullpen.

Tuesday night was no different, as starter Paul Blackburn could only manage 4.2 innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs. That forced the Mets to rely on Jose Butto, Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett, and Edwin Diaz, who were able to hold the Braves to just three hits and zero runs.

They're gonna waste a heroic bullpen performance pic.twitter.com/O8zx0zGHny
— jack (@Jolly_Olive) June 24, 2025

But the three-run deficit proved too large for New York's sputtering offense, that only produced two runs off a Juan Soto homer. After the game, Mendoza recognized the fact that his "top four or five guys" are carrying the load offensively, while the bottom of the lineup is "going through it."

"The bottom of the lineup, we're having a hard time creating opportunities. We're relying pretty much on the top four or five guys."

Carlos Mendoza talked about the struggles of the bottom part of the Mets' lineup after their loss to the Braves: pic.twitter.com/9k4VBlANkH
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 24, 2025

The Mets' starting pitching began the year on an unbelievable tear, leading the MLB in ERA for the first couple of months of the season. But with the injury to Kodai Senga, and the rest of the group regressing back to their expected contributions, the unit has struggled to protect their bullpen arms on a night-to-night basis.

With Frankie Montas set to start Tuesday and Sean Manaea approaching his return, the rotation should expect a boost in production that can give the bullpen some relief. But if Montas' rehab starts were an accurate indication of his current form, it may be more of the same for the struggling Mets.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: