FLUSHING, NY — Eight runs across eighteen innings of baseball for the Mets Wednesday as the Cubs swept them in a day-night doubleheader, 10-3, and 10-5, respectively, to drop to 12 games under .500 at 34-46.
The first time in the David Stearns-Carlos Mendoza era falling a dozen games below .500 and this is with a $375 million-plus payroll—second in the sport behind the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers.
The same Dodgers the Mets faced off against in the 2024 National League Championship Series, falling short to Los Angeles in six games. That October postseason series matchup now seems as if it was ages ago based on the road each organization has gone on since.
Since the Dodgers and Mets met in the 2024 National League Championship Series, the organizations have gone in opposite directions – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Since April 22nd, just over two months, 54 games approximately, the Mets had been without Francisco Lindor due to a severe left calf strain and despite the 32-year-old returning in Wednesday’s nightcap, there remained no hope in pulling out an Amazin’ victory.
Still finding his footing while adjusting back into his groove, Lindor, 0-5 on the night, and unable to make a clean play on a first inning Seiya Suzuki ground ball, was responsible for one of six Mets errors committed in the loss—which marked the first game from the orange and blue with six errors in over 12 years—September 1st of 2014, a 9-6 loss to the Marlins in Miami.
And to add to the mess, all six errors were committed between the Mets’ four infielders—3B Bo Bichette, SS Lindor, 2B Marcus Semien (2), 1B Mark Vientos (2).
“We are better than what we showed today, hopefully tomorrow we can come back, turn the page and play the way we are capable of playing,” Lindor said, taking blame for the first inning mishap.
“On that play, I should have attacked the ball. I stayed back a little bit. I was anticipating he (Cubs’ Matt Shaw at second base) could have gotten to third base. He didn’t go, so by the time I tried to attack the ball, the ball had hit the glove and popped out. Just unacceptable. Just gotta catch the ball.”
Francisco Lindor, missing 15 games from 2022-2025, was sidelined for a large portion of the first half of the 2026 season due to a severe left calf strain – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
Mendoza, not paying too much mind into Lindor’s first game back with the error as the two-time LatinoMVP eases himself back, described the team’s overall performance Wednesday as “embarrassing.”
“The whole day, two losses, but just the way we played overall,” Mendoza noted. “That last game, unacceptable. Everybody’s pissed, everybody’s frustrated.”
Another frustrating factor of it all is the unfortunate timing of injuries and flare ups to Lindor and three-time LatinoMVP Juan Soto, playing in nine games together this season.
Juan Soto, missing 16 games from 2022-2025 and 18 in 2026, was unable to go in Wednesday’s doubleheader vs. the Cubs due to tightness in the left side of his back – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
As Lindor returned Wednesday night, Soto was unable to go in both games due to tightness in the left side of his back which began to linger at the 27-year-old during Tuesday night’s game, a 9-6 loss.
Trade Before Midnight Between Two Teams In Queens
An hour or so after Wednesday’s day-night doubleheader was all wrapped up in Queens, the Cubs and Mets agreed to a deal that would send LHP David Peterson to Chicago in exchange for first baseman/DH Cole Mathis, the organization’s No. 13-ranked prospect who was selected in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
With this move, Peterson, formerly the longest tenured Met ahead of Lindor by a year (2020 and 2021), will be switching dugouts and clubhouses come Thursday at Citi Field as the Cubs and Mets finish off their four game set.
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