The New York Mets keep plumbing new depths. Putting it in perspective requires a trip back in time.
We’re not about to call their 5-1 loss − sealed with a most embarrassing error − to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday the low point of the season. Heck, it’s only mid-July and there’s no shortage of horrors that may still befall them. And they did rally to salvage the finale of the three-game set Sunday night in extra innings.
But dropping the first series of the second half cools any notion that the All-Star break might provide a reset, that the most expensive team in baseball history would will its way to contention, and that the breaks might start falling their way.
Instead, the Mets are simply a 43-50 team, trailing their division by almost 20 games, unlikely to make up the 8 1/2 games and vault the five teams needed for a courtesy playoff invite via the wild card. Their latest series loss dropped them to 22nd in USA TODAY Sports’ power rankings.
Flash back to March, when the air in Queens featured both a chill and a sense of hope. Sure, the Mets had just lost closer Edwin Diaz for the season, but in our season-opening rankings, they were tied for sixth with the Philadelphia Phillies. Save for the almost-equally disappointing Padres, the five other top teams at the outset − Astros, Braves, Dodgers, Yankees and Phillies − are either in playoff position or acquitting themselves respectfully.
No, the Mets are an outlier here, and unless they unload much of the roster at the trade deadline, will pay nearly $500 million in payroll and taxes for that privilege. Barring a rapid and unexpected turnaround, the season’s remaining tension will only be how low they can go.
A look at this week’s rankings:
1. Atlanta Braves (-)
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)
7. Houston Astros (+1)
9. Miami Marlins (-2)
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Shaping up to be a four-way battle for two playoff spots with Astros/Rangers, Yankees, Red Sox.
13. New York Yankees (-)
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If they really want Shohei Ohtani, they can beat his team three times this week and knock them further into sell mode.
14. Philadelphia Phillies (+1)
15. Boston Red Sox (-1)
20. San Diego Padres (-1)
22. New York Mets (-1)
26. Chicago White Sox (+1)
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If not for that Ohtani fellow, Luis Robert would be dredging up the whole “MVP on a terrible team” debate.
30. Oakland Athletics (-)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB power rankings: Mets falling out of playoff race