Mets' Carlos Mendoza officially presses the panic button after blowout loss to the Reds

The New York Mets entered the season feeling optimistic about how they responded during the offseason after losing Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz. However, the regular season has not been kind to the Mets.

New York’s most recent road series came against the Miami Marlins, where they were swept in three games, potentially marking the lowest point of the season so far.

“On Sunday, with their best hitter sidelined, the Mets went from sluggish to comatose in a 4-0 loss that completed the Marlins’ three-game sweep. The loss was the Mets’ third straight and moved them 2 ½ games behind the Marlins for worst in the NL East,” New York Post’s Mike Puma wrote.

As if being swept by a divisional opponent was not bad enough, the Mets followed it up with a 7-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night. Rookie Nolan McLean struggled badly on the mound and never gave New York much of a chance.

“The Mets' young right-hander appears to have officially hit his first rough patch at the highest level, though, as he’s been extremely ineffective each of his last two times out. The latest came on Monday afternoon, when McLean allowed runs in three straight innings and was pulled after failing to complete the top of the fourth in a series-opening loss to the Reds,” SNY’s John Flanigan wrote.

The Mets now sit at 22-31, far from where they expected to be at this point in the season. After the game, manager Carlos Mendoza admitted there is real concern surrounding the team and that changes need to happen quickly.

“There's so much I could sit here and say that we worry - we've got to go out and do it ourselves. We're not putting ourselves in good positions. It's not early anymore. Whatever I say here doesn't matter, we've got to go out there and do it,” Mendoza told the media.

New York appears to have officially hit rock bottom, and Mendoza’s comments made it clear that the panic button has been pressed with several months still remaining in the regular season. The Mets are not going to climb out of this hole if they continue playing at their current pace.

Players such as Juan Soto, Bo Bichette, and other veterans are going to have to step up and take control of the clubhouse if things are going to turn around. There is now clear urgency from the manager — the question is whether the team will respond to it or not.

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