Mets' losing streak reaches 12 as Juan Soto expects to return tonight
A fan wears a bag on his head during the ninth inning of a game between the Mets and the Twins at Citi Field on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The 12th consecutive loss of this Mets’ spiral, a 5-3 decision to the Twins at Citi Field on Tuesday night, provided a familiar feeling for the 32,798 at Citi Field.
A day that started with hope — the news that Juan Soto (right calf strain) is expected to return to the lineup for the first time since April 3 on Wednesday night — continued with promise as Nolan McLean had a perfect game through five innings.
But like most Mets moments over the past couple weeks, it ended with anguish.
Devin Williams entered in a 3-3 game to start the ninth but struggled with command. He did not record an out, surrendering two runs and walking three of the five batters he faced. Austin Warren relieved Williams with the bases loaded and no outs, striking out the side to keep it a two-run game and receiving “MVP” chants from those who stuck around.
“I’ve never been a part of something like this,” Williams said. “I think we just need to get the one win out of the way, and I think everything else will take care of itself.”
The Mets, who have MLB’s worst record at 7-16, went down in order in the ninth: Luis Torrens struck out, Francisco Alvarez lined out to right and Tyrone Taylor struck out swinging.
No MLB team in history has lost 12 in a row and made the postseason.
“Nobody’s feeling it more than us players,” McLean said.
McLean was perfect entering the sixth inning as the Mets held a 3-0 lead, thanks to Francisco Lindor’s three-run homer in the third. But the Twins managed to tie it at 3 in the seventh.
Matt Wallner led off the sixth with a single to break up the perfect game and Byron Buxton crushed a two-out, two-run homer to cut it to 3-2.
Luke Keaschall had two RBI singles — one off Williams to make it 4-3 in the ninth and one off McLean to tie it at 3 in the seventh.
Though McLean ultimately allowed three runs and five hits in 6 2⁄3 innings, he struck out 10 and walked none in another dominant outing overall. It’s only April, but he became the third Mets pitcher with two perfect game bids of five-plus innings in one season, according to SNY. McLean is the first pitcher in, at least, the expansion era (since 1961) with multiple perfect bids of five-plus innings in his first 13 career starts, according to MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
Soto’s return can only help the Mets, who have had the worst offense in baseball during their losing streak. Entering Tuesday, they ranked last in MLB in runs (19), RBIs (18), on-base percentage (.239), slugging percentage (.289), OPS (.528) and wRC+ (51) since the skid began on April 8. During that span, the Mets were near the bottom of the league in batting average (.200, second worst), homers (seven, tied for second worst), walks (18, second worst) and walk percentage (4.7%, second worst).
Lindor noted Sunday that, while Soto is “irreplaceable,” it would be “unfair to just throw everything on him.” Carlos Mendoza echoed that sentiment.
“It definitely helps, but we cannot put all the pressure on one player,” Mendoza said. “We got a lot of good players in there that, unfortunately, they’re going through it for quite a bit now. Yes, his presence on the lineup, nobody’s going to deny that, but putting all the pressure, ‘Oh we’re going to have Juan Soto now, and all of the sudden we just start winning,’ that’s not fair for him either.”
Scott gets the call
Righthander Christian Scott will be called up from Triple-A Syracuse to start against Minnesota on Thursday, Mendoza said.
Scott, who had a nine-start MLB stint in 2024 but has been recovering from Tommy John surgery, will make his first big-league appearance in 641 days.
Freddy Peralta will make his scheduled start Friday while Kodai Senga, who was supposed to start Thursday, will be bumped to Saturday. David Peterson, who threw 3 2⁄3 scoreless innings of relief Sunday, will remain in the bullpen through at least the next rotation turn as the Mets stick to a five-man staff. Mendoza said the situation will “continue to be fluid.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
