How the 2025 Mets failure stands out in franchise history

The New York Mets are often strangers to success, but they're old friends with disappointment. The 2025 season was no exception, as the Mets lost to the Miami Marlins, 5-0, and were eliminated from the playoffs on the final day of the regular season on Sunday.

Mets fans are no strangers to watching this team collapse when it matters most. Just look at the 2007 Mets team that coughed up a division lead and postseason berth in the final month of the season. But 2025 was supposed to be different after a magical run to the National League Championship Series the previous year. 

This team was built with the purpose of finishing the job. Instead, this year's Mets team will be remembered as authoring the worst collapse in franchise history. 

The Mets wasted the best of Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor

In 2007, outfielder Carlos Beltran led the Mets with 33 HRs. In 2025, outfielder Juan Soto led the team with 43 HRs — the most in his career. Soto also joined the vaunted 30-30 club by hitting over 30 HRs and stealing 38 bases. He was joined by shortstop Francisco Lindor, who hit 31 HRs and stole 31 bases.

Even more impressively, this is the second time Lindor has joined the 30-30 club. A feat just 16 other players have accomplished. In the end, though, the personal achievements of the Mets' two best players meant nothing for the team.

The Mets' collapse was a trainwreck in slow motion

The Mets were 83-62 on September 12, 2007, and in command of the NL East. After starting September hot, a five-game losing streak, which included a three-game sweep by the Philadelphia Phillies, loosened their grip on the division. By Game 162, the Mets just needed to beat the Marlins to get into the postseason. Instead, the team lost, 8-1, and ended the month 14-14.

History doesn't repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme. On Sept. 12 of this year, the Mets were 76-72, but had no hopes of winning the division. Worse, this year's Mets team gave a large sample size of their ineptitude by going 38-55 over the final 93 games. Any playoff hopes were a mirage, and yet, they still had a shot at October baseball.

The Mets have nobody to blame but themselves

In the final five games of the season, the Mets secured a chance to control their own destiny. They blew it in the opening game of the final series against the Marlins, losing 6-2. The Mets would need help to get into the postseason ahead of the chasing Cincinnati Reds.

Miraculously, they got that help, as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Reds, 4-2, on Sunday. The Mets just needed one more win. If this were last year, the chances of the Mets rallying to win late would've been better. After all, last year's team did just that against the Atlanta Braves to secure a wild-card spot. It was part of the 44 come-from-behind victories in 2024 that led them to the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

All of those walk-off wins and huge rallies showed the guts the underdog "OMG" Mets had. In 2025, one of the most talented Mets rosters ever proved to be hollow. When trailing in the eighth inning, the team went 0-70. So, it was only natural that the Mets showed no meaningful resolve when they needed it most.