A train wreck of a Mets season derailed again Wednesday in a multitude of ways, from poor play, to more injuries, to bad behavior in an ugly 10-3 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field.
It was the Mets’ third straight loss — and seventh in eight games — but it was what happened before, during and after the defeat that was even more glaring.
There was Edwin Diaz being put on the IL with a shoulder impingement, Pete Alonso being removed after getting drilled on the hand and now former Mets reliever Jorge Lopez throwing his glove into the stands after being ejected, which led to his being designated for assignment following the game.
Adam Ottavino reacts after giving up the go-ahead run on a solo homer by Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith in the eighth inning of the Mets’ 10-3 loss to the Dodgers. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTAnd mixed in was a players-only team meeting called by Francisco Lindor in which the shortstop and others attempted to keep the season from careening completely out of control in the midst of eight losses in nine games that left the Mets a season-worst 11 games under .500.
Lindor said he “felt it was the right time as a group to look each other eye-to-eye and hold everybody accountable. Now we just have to put it together.”
Mets pitcher Adam Ottavino (0) reacts after giving up the go-ahead run on a solo homer by Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) during the eighth inning on Wednesday. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTThat seems unlikely at this point.
“We’re just not getting it done,’’ said Adam Ottavino, whose eighth-inning meltdown led directly to the defeat. “It’s really across the board. We stink right now. It doesn’t mean we’re gonna stink going forward.”
Lindor added: “We’ve still got time. We’ve still got over 100 games [left]. We have to get it done. We have to have urgency.”
At this point, having those 107 games remaining on the schedule seems like a nightmare, with the Mets showing no signs of improvement.
Mets relief pitcher Jorge Lopez throws his glove into the stands after being ejected in the eighth inning on Wednesday JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST“We’ve got to take care of the little details,’’ Carlos Mendoza said. “We’ve got to get better.”
They certainly didn’t as they got swept away by the Dodgers, with their leaky bullpen imploding in the eighth inning behind disastrous outings from Ottavino and then Lopez.
Before the fateful inning was over, Lopez was tossed for arguing a check swing by Freddie Freeman and tossed his glove into the stands as he headed to the dugout, which set off even more drama, as Lopez expressed no regret for his actions, seemingly called the Mets “the worst team in MLB” and when asked to clarify, didn’t back down.
And to think, the Mets actually managed to come back from a 3-0 deficit with a three-run fifth before the eighth-inning drama.
But Ottavino, whose terrific start to the season is now a distant memory, gave up a go-ahead homer to Will Smith on the first pitch of the eighth inning.
Shohei Ohtani celebrates he rounds the bases on his two-run homer during the eighth inning of the Mets’ loss. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTIt was Smith’s second homer — and third extra-base hit — of the day and also marked the third time in four appearances that Ottavino was scored upon.
Ottavino followed by allowing a booming triple to Jason Heyward, a walk and then an RBI single to Miguel Rojas before being booed off the mound in a six-run inning that somehow only got worse when Lopez entered, as the two combined to give up all those runs while recording just one out apiece.
It’s been a dramatic fall for Ottavino, who was nearly unhittable for much of April, but has struggled since.
But the veteran right-hander is just a small part of a growing list of issues for a team that seems more likely to challenge the Marlins for last place in the NL East than for a wild-card spot.
Mets first baseman Pete Alonso looks at his hand after he injures it during an at-bat in the first inning at Citi Field. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POSTDavid Peterson, in his first start since returning from offseason hip surgery, gave up three runs, two earned in five innings.
The Mets came back in the bottom of the fifth off Elieser Hernandez thanks to a two-run homer by Tomas Nido. Lindor walked and then scored on a one-out double by J.D. Martinez to tie the game at 3-3.
And then the wheels came off in the eighth.
JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POSTFrom the 0-5 start to the season to the recent ugliness, it seems like the Mets have been struggling just to stay alive for much of the year.
Lindor said that’s at least partially true — and he knows they don’t really have until September to put it all together.
They need to show the front office they are worthy of keeping together.
“We do have time to make sure we’re above water,’’ Lindor said. “Before the All-Star break and the trade deadline, we can’t have the water be nose-deep. We’ve got to get the water to at least our shoulders.’’






