The New York Mets, after their three-game sweep over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field, were closing in on the Phillies in the NL East. But, after faltering and losing the ground made up, the Mets traveled to Philadelphia for a four-game series.
It went about as poorly as possible, as the Mets were swept out of Philadelphia, losing all four games in various fashions. The last game was a brutal one, as they blew a four-run lead, putting the Mets down 11 games in the East and in jeopardy of missing the postseason entirely.
After the series, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shouldered the blame for the team’s struggles against the Phillies. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com shared Mendoza’s comment after the Phillies series, and he was clear in taking responsibility.
Mets’ Carlos Mendoza shoulders blame for Phillies sweep
“I’m responsible,” Mendoza said after the Phillies series. “I’m the manager. It’s my job to get these guys going. And I will.”
Carlos Mendoza: “I’m responsible. I’m the manager. It’s my job to get these guys going. And I will.”
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 12, 2025
The Mets, following the four-game sweep, are now only 1.5 games up on the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds for the final wild card spot, while being 11 games down in the East.
Mendoza and the Mets aren’t likely to win the NL East and are in danger of missing the postseason entirely. Sitting at 76-71, the Mets need to rebound against the Texas Rangers.
The long road trip to begin September went poorly, despite starting strong with a series win over the top American League team, the Detroit Tigers. But this Phillies series is about as brutal as it can get for the Mets.
Mendoza is shouldering the responsibility from the Phillies series. While he did have questionable decisions regarding the bullpen at times, the players on the field need to perform to expectations.
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Offensively, the Mets scored four runs in the first inning on five hits to begin the fourth game of the Phillies series. But, they were completely shut down, not getting another baserunner the rest of the game.
In the prior two games, Mets pitching gave up a combined 20 runs in 9-3 and 11-3 losses. The series opener saw Nolan McLean and the bullpen pitch very well, allowing just one run. But the offense went stagnant, as they got shut out for the first time since July 30th.
Over the last 30 days, the Mets’ offense has had an .848 OPS, the best in the Major Leagues. Their pitching, meanwhile, has a 5.25 ERA in the same time frame, which has contributed to the Mets’ struggles in the second half of the season.
Mendoza can take on all of the blame, but the players on the field, the Mets’ $340 million team, need to perform a lot better than they did against the Phillies. The season isn’t over yet, and the Mets can bounce back and make a postseason run. But if the Mets let this sweep eat them up, it could spell the end of their 2025 season before October begins.
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