The Mets were shut out 5-0 by the Braves on June 19, 2025, as Chris Sale dominated. Can New York snap its 5-game losing streak and hold the NL East lead?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was another frustrating night in Queens as the New York Mets' slide continued, marking their fifth consecutive loss in a dismal 5-0 shutout against the Atlanta Braves. The offense went completely silent, stifled by a vintage performance from Braves ace Chris Sale, who was nearly unhittable. For a team that still sits atop the NL East, this extended losing streak is beginning to feel less like a slump and more like a serious problem.
'We need to get back to playing our brand of baseball. The offense has to step up.' - Carlos Mendoza
The story of the night was Chris Sale. The veteran lefty turned back the clock, mowing down the Mets' lineup with surgical precision for 8 2/3 masterful innings. He allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out 10, coming just one out shy of his first complete-game shutout since 2019. The Mets' offense was helpless, failing to advance a single runner past second base all game. Every time it seemed a rally might spark, like a two-on situation in the seventh, Sale slammed the door, inducing a crucial double play to escape the jam.
While Sale was dealing, the Braves' offense provided all the support he would need. Ronald Acuña Jr. ambushed Mets starter Clay Holmes with a leadoff home run to immediately put the Mets in a hole. Matt Olson later added a two-run shot in the fifth to break the game open. Holmes battled but ultimately couldn't keep the Braves at bay, surrendering four runs over five innings. It's a familiar and frustrating script for Mets fans: starting pitching struggles paired with a complete lack of run support.
Somehow, despite their longest losing streak of the season, the Mets (45-29) remain in first place in the NL East. This fact is the only solace in an otherwise bleak stretch of baseball. Manager Carlos Mendoza expressed his frustration postgame, putting the onus on the offense to rediscover its form. The front office has remained quiet, with no roster moves or injury changes announced, indicating a belief that the current group has to be the one to figure it out. With no help on the immediate horizon, the pressure is mounting on the established stars to perform.
The Mets have to find a way to stop the bleeding, and fast. While clinging to first place provides a thin silver lining, losing streaks like this can torpedo a season if they're not contained. There are no immediate reinforcements coming, so the solution must come from within the clubhouse. The pressure is on for the bats to wake up and for the starting pitching to deliver a shutdown performance to right the ship. All eyes will be on tomorrow's game to see if the Mets can finally snap this skid and get back to their winning ways.
