Mets hitting coach Troy Snitker sees two critical objectives to reverse offense’s woes

The Mets offensive stats read like a hitting coach’s worst nightmare: fewest runs scored in the majors, as well as the lowest on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS, entering play Tuesday.

After being swept in a doubleheader by the Rockies on Sunday, when the Mets scored one run, Carlos Mendoza said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this.”

Hitting coach Troy Snitker wouldn’t go that far when asked about the offense, but the former Astros hitting coach acknowledged he couldn’t recall an extended period of poor performance like the one the Mets have gone through in the first month of the season.

“As a hitting coach, and with hitting in general, you go through these unfortunate stretches during a season,’’ Snitker said before the series opener against the Nationals at Citi Field. “The length may be more in this situation, but we can still turn this around.”

Snitker — the son of former Braves manager Brian Snitker — was hired along with director of major league hitting Jeff Albert to get the most out of this new-look offense, and Snitker said he expected similar success in Queens as what he saw with the Astros.

“I still do,’’ Snitker said. “We have a lot of really good hitters. I’ve seen another group of really good hitters that have struggled [in Houston], and there’s always an answer of how to turn it around. We’re aiming for that.”

If that’s going to happen, a lot of hitters will have to get themselves right.

Hitting coach Troy Snitker of the Mets talks with Carson Benge during batting practice before the game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on April 28, 2026 Getty Images

Mendoza — who has his own issues — backed his coaches Tuesday: “It’s a combination of all us in here, but it’s not on the hitting coaches.”

Still, when asked if anything had “surprised” him about his team’s atrocious start, Mendoza said: “It’s hard to point fingers, but we’re having a hard time scoring runs. There are so many guys going through a tough stretch at the same time. That’s the tough part to describe. It’s usually three or four guys that are carrying the team and two or three are going through it. Right now, a lot of people are going through a rough stretch.”

Mendoza praised the work of Snitker and Albert, but the results have been damning.

Against fastballs of 96 mph or faster, the Mets entered Tuesday with the worst slugging percentage (.231), the third-worst on-base percentage (.269) and fifth-worst batting average (.185), according to MLB Network research.

“We have to do a few simple things better,’’ Snitker said. “We’ve got to get our ball flight to the outfield and we’ve got to hit fastballs better. When players can accomplish that, then the rest of the game gets easier. You adjust to off-speed [pitches] better [and] you control the zone better.”

The lack of results against high velocity has been mystifying, with just about everyone other than Juan Soto and Brett Baty guilty.

Tyrone Taylor of the Mets reacts during the fifth inning of game two of a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on April 26, 2026. Getty Images

The issues, Snitker said, vary from hitter to hitter.

The outcomes, though, haven’t.

Outside of Soto and Francisco Alvarez, just about every other regular has disappointed, from veterans like Bo Bichette, Francisco Lindor and Jorge Polanco to a newcomer like Carson Benge.

“Coming into the season, we wanted to accomplish certain things and you’re constantly thinking about how things are working and then adjusting,’’ said Snitker, who detailed during the spring how he wanted this lineup.

He noted in spring he was looking for “the same type of culture and teamwork, [with the] ability to pass it to the next guy [as in Houston]. We want to work together, build off each at-bat and not have guys feel they have to do it themselves.”

Tuesday, Snitker said: “We still very strongly believe in what we came in with, but we’re always looking for areas to attack.”