New York Mets News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Jul 28, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) argues with umpire Emil Jimenez (82) after a called strike out during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Three reasons why Mets can turn things around despite horrible stretch

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 11:00 AM ET

It was a disappointing loss for the New York Mets against the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night, in what felt like a must-win game in August.

After dropping their three-game series to the Braves, the Mets have now lost 13 of their last 15 games and are free-falling in the standings. With the Cincinnati Reds starting to play well, there is no certainty that New York is going to be able to hold on to their playoff spot; the Mets only lead the Reds by half a game for the final Wild Card spot.

For a team that once had the best record in the league, it has been quite the collapse. However, this was a team that were buyers at the trade deadline and brought in some help. Even though things look really bad right now, the Mets are still in a great position to make the playoffs if they can snap out of their funk.

While it is easy to be pessimistic about the current outlook, there is still a lot of talent on this team, and making the playoffs is still very much within striking distance.

Here are three reasons why the Mets will be able to turn things around.

Help on the Way for Rotation

One of the most notable issues for New York of late has been the starting rotation. This unit has been poor for quite some time now, but there might have been a silver lining in the recent loss to Atlanta.

In the series finale, Kodai Senga looked quite good and nearly made it through six innings. Pitching well and going deep into games has been an issue, but the performance by Senga was encouraging.

Furthermore, help is on the way in the form of top prospect Nolan McLean getting his first start against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. Also, the team is hopeful that Tylor Megill will be able to return soon.

Getting some fresh arms for the unit at this stage in the season might be exactly what they need to turn things around.

Bullpen Will Gel

At the trade deadline, the Mets were extremely active in improving their bullpen. Aside from Edwin Diaz, this was a unit that needed some help, and they addressed that. New York was able to add Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers, and Ryan Helsley.

So far, the results have been mixed. Helsley recently blew Thursday's game against the Braves, which certainly stung, but the unit on paper should be strong. As the bullpen starts to gel, they have the potential to be one of the best in the league. If they start performing like it, they can help the Mets turn things around quickly.

Juan Soto Can Carry the Offense

Overall, the offense has been a disappointment for New York this campaign. Francisco Lindor is having a down season, and Mark Vientos hasn't played much of late with his struggles at the plate. These were two of the best hitters for the team last year, but they haven’t found that same success.

The Mets signed Juan Soto to be their star and to help them through these tough moments. With the team in a free fall, it’s time for one of the best hitters in baseball to get hot. While his first season with New York hasn't been ideal, that narrative can all change with a strong end of August and a great September.

Even though things might seem hopeless, there is still reason to believe in the Mets.

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

More must-reads: