The Mets blew a 4-1 lead, losing 5-4 to the Braves on June 18. Despite homers from Soto & Taylor, Marcell Ozuna's heroics led to a walk-off loss for NY.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game the New York Mets had locked down, a much-needed win against a division rival to snap a painful losing streak. Leading 4-1 in the eighth, victory seemed certain. But in a brutal turn of events, the bullpen crumbled, the lead vanished, and the Mets ultimately fell 5-4 in 10 innings to the Braves, extending their skid to four agonizing games.
Tyrone Taylor's slump-busting night, where he snapped a 9-for-53 (.170) skid with three RBIs, was the lone bright spot in a dark defeat.
The night started so promisingly. Juan Soto launched a 412-foot solo shot in the first, and Tyrone Taylor followed with a two-run double and a solo homer of his own, powering the Mets to a comfortable lead. Starter Paul Blackburn was effective, holding Atlanta to just one run over six solid innings. But the game unraveled in the eighth when Marcell Ozuna stepped to the plate and cleared the bases with a three-run double, tying the game 4-4 in an instant. The dagger came in the 10th, when Austin Riley's sacrifice fly sealed the walk-off win for Atlanta, leaving the Mets to wonder what went wrong.
If there was one positive to take from the wreckage, it was the resurgence of Tyrone Taylor. Mired in a deep slump since late May, Taylor was the offensive engine, going 2-for-3 with a crucial two-run double and a fifth-inning solo home run. His three RBIs accounted for most of the Mets' scoring. After hitting just .170 over his last 53 at-bats, this performance was a massive sigh of relief and a reminder of the depth this lineup can have when everyone is clicking.
This loss can't be viewed in a vacuum. It's a symptom of a larger issue: a starting rotation decimated by injuries. With Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill, Frankie Montas, and Sean Manaea all on the shelf, the Mets are relying on a patchwork group to hold things down. The bullpen, forced to cover more innings, is showing signs of strain. This late-game collapse underscores the desperate need for reinforcements. The front office is now on the clock, with the July 31 trade deadline looming as the only realistic path to acquiring the top-tier pitching necessary for a deep playoff run.
This four-game losing streak hurts, especially with a depleted rotation. The pressure is now squarely on the front office. With a deep farm system full of assets like Sproat, Williams, and Benge, the Mets have the pieces to make a significant move. The question is no longer if they will trade for pitching, but when and for whom. The next six weeks leading up to the July 31 deadline will define this team's championship aspirations.
