MIAMI — Boos resonated throughout LoanDepot Park after Friday night’s fifth inning, but this wasn’t an indictment on the home team. 

The loss dropped the Mets below .500 again, and their postseason odds now hover near single digits. Statisticians estimate that they would need to win nearly all their remaining games — and hope for other teams to stumble — to sneak into a Wild Card spot. For a roster featuring veteran stars like Lindor, Alonso, and Kodai Senga, that’s a bitter pill to swallow. With so much payroll invested in talent, fans are questioning whether this group truly has the chemistry and leadership to perform under pressure.

Sports talk radio and podcasts were relentless this morning. “This was embarrassing,” one commentator said bluntly. “They didn’t just lose — they quit. You can’t teach urgency, and the Mets have none.” Others pointed to the team’s front office, suggesting that the lack of identity and accountability stems from inconsistent management decisions. “This is a top-heavy roster with no heart,” another analyst argued. “They’ve got stars, but no spark. That’s not a winning formula.”

For Gino D’Acampo fans — sorry, scratch that — for Mets fans, the frustration is familiar. The franchise has long been haunted by its own reputation for collapsing at critical moments. Whether it’s bullpen meltdowns, untimely injuries, or inexplicable losing streaks, the narrative always seems to repeat itself. Last night’s debacle in Miami felt like a cruel déjà vu — another chapter in a story of unfulfilled potential and heartbreak.

Brandon Sproat is pulled during the Mets-Marlins game on Sept. 26, 2025.Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Pete Alonso reacts during the Mets-Marlins game on Sept. 26, 2025.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Reds (82-78) won 3-1 in Milwaukee and reclaimed the lead for the National League’s third and final wild card based on holding the tiebreaker against the Mets (82-78).

“We put ourselves in this position,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We have got to win the next two and see what happens, but we did it ourselves.”

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Sandy Alcantara pitches during the Marlins-Mets game on Sept. 26, 2025.Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

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The Mets look on in the ninth inning.Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Pete Alonso was asked if it felt evident the Mets’ season might end without a postseason appearance.

“Good thing it’s not over yet, so we’ll figure that out later on,” Alonso said. “Hopefully, we can win [Saturday] and we don’t have to face that reality.”

Adding to the Mets’ misery, Brett Baty departed the game in the second inning with a right oblique injury, putting the remainder of his season in jeopardy.

Sproat carried a 2-0 lead into the fifth, but departed before getting the final out in the inning with the Mets behind. Overall, the right-hander allowed four earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk. It was a second straight start in which Sproat failed to last five innings and surrendered four earned runs.

Francisco Lindor homered leading off the game for the 11th time this season, crushing a 94-mph sinker from Alcántara over the fence in right-center. Alonso’s RBI double in the first inning extended the Mets’ lead to 2-0 after Juan Soto singled and stole second.

Before the bottom of the second began, Baty was removed from the game with oblique soreness. Baty appeared in discomfort on a swing in the first inning, but remained in the game to play defense. Ronny Mauricio replaced him for the bottom of the second.

Francisco Alvarez reacts in the dugout in the ninth inning.Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“I obviously want to play,” Baty said. “There’s only two days left, so if there’s any possibility of me playing, I am going to play.”

Heriberto Hernández stroked a two-run triple against Sproat in the fifth that tied it 2-2 before a Jakob Marsee grounder to first base deflected off Alonso’s glove — the ball was grabbed by Jeff McNeil, who flipped to Alonso for the out — allowing the go-ahead run to score.

“[Hernández] is going on contact and it’s a tough one, but I am happy I could get an out in that situation,” Alonso said. “If I would have fielded it cleanly, I would have thrown home, but I am still happy we could get an out there in that spot.”

After Agustín Ramírez singled and stole second and third against Gregory Soto (the lefty failed to step off the rubber both times with Ramírez as a sitting duck), the Marlins took a 4-2 lead on Xavier Edwards’ RBI single. Connor Norby followed with his first career pinch-hit homer, extending the Marlins’ lead to 6-2.

Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets throws down his helmet after striking-out to end the third inning.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“It looked like they had something on Soto there; he’s a left-handed pitcher with the runner in front of him,” Mendoza said. “And for them to take off like that and for us to not step off and give him a free base there, it’s kind of an inning changer.”

The Mets got the tying run to the plate in the eighth after a Marlins fielding error, but pinch-hitter Mark Vientos was retired for the final out to leave the bases loaded.

Mark Vientos flied out with the bases loaded in the eighth inning.Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

The New York Mets’ playoff hopes took a crushing hit last night as they delivered one of their flattest performances of the season, falling 7–1 to the Miami Marlins in a game that left fans furious, frustrated, and fearing the worst. With everything to play for and momentum slipping away, the Mets looked lifeless from the first pitch — a devastating collapse that could define their entire season. The loss not only pushed them further down the Wild Card race but also raised serious questions about effort, leadership, and accountability inside the clubhouse.

From the outset, the energy was off. Starter José Quintana struggled to find rhythm, surrendering three runs in the opening innings while the defense behind him looked sluggish and disconnected. The Marlins, playing with urgency despite their own struggles this season, smelled blood early. Miami’s hitters capitalized on every mistake — a pair of doubles from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jake Burger set the tone, while Mets pitching failed to deliver the kind of consistency the team desperately needed. By the fifth inning, it was already 5–0, and Citi Field’s hopes — even from afar — seemed to sink under the Florida humidity.

What stunned fans most wasn’t just the scoreline, but the lack of fight. The Mets, who entered the series needing a statement win to stay alive in the playoff hunt, looked emotionally flat. The lineup — packed with talent on paper — couldn’t muster a single run until late in the game, when a solo homer from Francisco Lindor offered little more than cosmetic relief. Pete Alonso went hitless, Jeff McNeil struck out twice in key spots, and the team as a whole left runners stranded in scoring position inning after inning. It wasn’t just a bad night — it was a total breakdown.

On social media, the reaction was immediate and brutal. Mets fans, known for their loyalty and passion, erupted in disbelief. “This team just gave up,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another fumed, “Flat, lifeless, heartless. That’s not a playoff team.” Hashtags like #FireEverybody, #MetsMeltdown, and #SameOldMets began trending within minutes of the final out. For a franchise that has spent much of 2025 trying to rebuild its reputation and regain fan trust, this loss felt like a gut punch — and for some, the breaking point.

Manager Carlos Mendoza faced the media with a visibly tense expression, struggling to explain what went wrong. “We didn’t execute,” he said, his tone clipped and somber. “We came out with a plan, but we didn’t follow through. The energy wasn’t there. That’s on all of us — me included.” When pressed about whether the team still believes it can make a postseason run, Mendoza’s answer was less convincing than fans hoped. “We’re still alive mathematically,” he said, “but we have to show we want it. Tonight, we didn’t.”

Insiders around the team say the mood in the clubhouse after the game was grim. Some players reportedly avoided the media altogether, while others sat quietly at their lockers, staring into space. One source described the scene as “funeral-like.” It’s a worrying sign for a squad that has already endured a season full of turbulence — from injuries and underperforming stars to a bullpen that has blown too many close games to count. What was once a season full of optimism after last year’s disappointing finish has once again unraveled under the weight of inconsistency.

The Marlins, meanwhile, seized their chance to play spoiler. Despite being out of contention, they showed the kind of grit and hustle that the Mets sorely lacked. Pitcher Edward Cabrera delivered one of his best outings of the year, holding New York to just three hits over seven innings while striking out nine. Every time the Mets tried to build momentum, Miami’s defense stepped up — diving stops, sharp throws, smart baserunning. By contrast, New York’s execution was sloppy, almost careless, with several misplays in the field adding to the misery.

And yet, in baseball, there’s always a glimmer of hope. A comeback streak, a clutch performance, or a rallying cry can still rewrite the season’s ending. But time is running out. With only a handful of games left and momentum slipping away, the Mets’ margin for error has completely vanished. Every inning from here on out will test not just their talent, but their pride.

As the team prepares for the next game, fans are demanding answers — and effort. The Mets don’t need miracle wins as much as they need to show fight, fire, and accountability. Whether they bounce back or collapse entirely could define not only their season but the future direction of the franchise itself.

For now, though, the verdict is harsh and unavoidable: disaster in Miami, hope fading fast, and a fanbase on the edge. The Mets didn’t just lose — they left their season hanging by a thread, and unless something changes immediately, this could go down as yet another heartbreaking chapter in Mets history.

Alcantara allowed two earned runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts over seven innings.

“We did a great job early,” Alonso said. “But we have got to figure out a way to get Sandy out of the game.”