An already disappointing season for the New York Mets may have finally reached rock bottom.
The Mets were swept aside by the Chicago Cubs in Wednesday's doubleheader at Citi Field, with the nightcap loss proving to be the most calamitous of all. New York's infielders committed six errors in the 10-5 defeat, leading to five unearned Cubs runs.
"Embarrassing overall. The whole day, two losses, but just the way we play(ed) overall," manager Carlos Mendoza said after the error-filled second game, per SNY. "That last game (was) unacceptable. Obviously, everybody's pissed, everybody's frustrated. As simple as that."
All four Mets infielders - Mark Vientos, Marcus Semien, Francisco Lindor, and Bo Bichette - made errors during Wednesday night's loss, with Vientos and Semien each being charged with two. Vientos' two miscues came in the eighth and ninth innings, and led directly to four Cubs runs that put the game out of reach.
(Video source: MLB.com)
The Mets became the first team to commit six errors in a game since the Cubs in 2019, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers. It was also the first time that every Mets infielder made an error in a contest since Sept. 8, 1962, according to Tyler Kepner of The Athletic.
"It's hard to explain," Mendoza said when asked what he'd attribute the loss to. "Obviously some routine plays (weren't made), just ... yeah, it's hard to describe at this point. It's just a tough night overall for all of us."
Semien, a two-time Gold Glove winner, was particularly upset with himself.
"It's always gonna be attention to detail with defense," Semien said. "(My) first step was not great on the first one, and (it) seems like when I'm trying to pick the ball up and rush, the throws haven't been good. That happened again today.
"It's frustrating, because it's a play I feel like I could have saved and got the out, and I didn't," he added, referring to his first throwing error. "And those ones hurt."
New York's pitching also continued to get hit hard. Sean Manaea, who started the second game of the double dip, lasted just three innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits. The Mets were outscored 20-8 in the doubleheader. They've allowed 50 runs over their last five games, and are now 12 games below .500 and nine back of a playoff spot.
"It's not good," Manaea said. "We're playing not up to our capabilities. I don't think anybody here in this room would say otherwise. We know we're better than this, and just right now we're playing really, really bad baseball."
