The Mets' winning streak ends as they collapse 7-5 to the Rays on June 14, 2025. Despite an early lead, bullpen and defensive woes cost them the game.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
All good things must come to an end, but they don't have to end like this. The Mets' sizzling six-game winning streak was extinguished Saturday in a frustrating 7-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, a game that felt comfortably in hand before unraveling thread by painful thread. A 5-1 lead vanished into the Citi Field twilight, undone by a faltering bullpen and the kind of defensive miscues that are becoming an alarming trend.
I want to help. That’s the biggest thing for me. That’s what is kind of killing me, not being able to help.
For five innings, it looked like business as usual for the first-place Mets. The offense had built a solid lead, and the winning streak felt destined to hit seven. But the Rays chipped away, and the Mets' bats went silent. The bullpen, a rock during the streak, couldn't hold the line. Tampa Bay's late-inning rally, punctuated by key hits from both Josh and Brandon Lowe, exposed the cracks. Despite a stellar defensive play from Pete Alonso earlier, the team's overall sloppiness proved costly, turning a sure win into a deflating loss that drops the Mets to 45-25.
This wasn't just a one-off bad game; it was a reminder of a problem that continues to bubble under the surface. The loss was magnified by the team's recent defensive struggles, with the Mets now having committed seven errors in their last four games. When you're playing tight games against good teams like the Rays, giving away outs is a recipe for disaster. The bullpen's inability to slam the door raises questions about depth, especially as the team navigates the long summer months.
Speaking of pitching depth, all eyes are turning to Frankie Montas, whose rehab clock is ticking. With his assignment ending June 22, a decision looms. But his latest minor league outing was a struggle, as he only managed 53 pitches instead of the targeted 85-90. Manager Carlos Mendoza remains non-committal on whether Montas will return as a starter or a much-needed bullpen arm. Montas himself is feeling the pressure. His desire is clear, but his readiness and role are anything but.
While the big-league club stumbled, there's plenty of movement down on the farm. RHP Jonah Tong is the talk of the system, shooting up prospect lists with increased velocity and dominance at Double-A. He's joined by risers like A.J. Ewing and Jacob Reimer. On the other end, the transition to Triple-A has been tough for RHP Brandon Sproat, and in a significant development, 2022 first-round pick Kevin Parada has fallen out of the team's top 30 prospects after failing to find his footing at the plate in Double-A.
Saturday's loss was a gut punch, no doubt about it. It snapped the streak and highlighted the team's biggest weaknesses: late-inning relief and defensive consistency. But let's keep some perspective—the Mets are still 45-25. One loss doesn't define a season, but how they respond to it will. With a crucial decision on Frankie Montas looming and the defense needing a serious tune-up, the next few days will be telling. Time to brush this one off and start a new streak tomorrow.
