“They’re dead!” - MLB analyst goes off on Mets as $340M team nears playoff collapse despite star-studded lineup

MLB analyst Sal Licata didn't mince any words while talking about the current state of the New York Mets, considering their position to make the postseason. Ahead of their series against the Chicago Cubs, the Mets are tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the final NL wildcard spot.

The Mets, who started the season strong and are one of the highest payroll teams ($340 million), have been in a slump in the second half of the season, which saw them conceding their division lead to the Philadelphia Phillies, and just over the weekend, the Reds technically dethroned them (since they hold the tiebreaker advantage) from the final NL wildcard spot.

Talking on WFAN Sports Radio, Licata predicts that the Mets are already "dead" irrespective of whether they make the postseason or not. He had a pretty strong take over the team's performance despite being home to stars like Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso.

"I actually can't believe that it's gotten this bad," Licata said. "So much so that even if they were to make the play -- forget about now -- I'm talking about going back a week ago, where I drew my line and said, I already know what this team is, and I don't care if they make it or not. They need major changes because the damage has been done. "There's no excuse for being the third wildcard team with their payroll and the amount of talent they have in that clubhouse. And not only are they barely going to make it, they're going to miss it. I was wrong last week when I said they were going to miss it. I said they were going to get caught by the Diamondbacks. They're going to get caught by the Diamondbacks and the Reds. And maybe the Morelands. Like, honestly, BT, I would not be stunned if they went 1-5."

Licata has no hopes left for the Mets for their remaining games. For all he cares, the club's 2025 season is "dead."

"They're dead. They're dead," Licata added. "Anybody watching could say it. They're dead. What makes you think that's going to change? You could hope, and you could say, well, there are six games left. But the same result has continued to happen really since June 13th."

What are Mets chances of making postseason?

The Mets find themselves on the brink of elimination with six games remaining, three against the Cubs and the final three against the Marlins. Both series are on the road, where the Mets have posted a dismal 31-44 record this season.

The series against the Cubs will be pretty challenging, given that they have clinched a spot in the wildcard round and have an 88-68 record. As far as the series against the Marlins is considered, Miami is only four games behind the Mets, so one can't say they will be easy to beat.

As such, the Mets will need to be at their best to beat both teams, which will give them the best possible chance to make the postseason over the surging Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Edited by Krutik Jain