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Heading into the second half of the 2023 MLB season, the New York Mets and San Diego Padres have found themselves in deep water.
Expected to battle in the upper echelons of the National League after an off-season spending spree, reality was a rude awakening for both teams. The Mets and Padres find themselves barely able to stay afloat in their races for postseason berths.
The current state of both teams has sparked discussion among MLB fans, as to whether the Mets and Padres’ struggle is good for baseball. The majority didn’t seem very sympathetic to the two bumbling giants.
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“Struggling Mets and Padres Is Bad for Baseball,” Talkin’ Baseball
New York Mets vs San Diego Padres: What Went Wrong?
The New York Mets’ pitching staff has emerged as this season’s Achilles’ heel. The downward spiral began in March when baseball’s highest-paid Edwin Diaz underwent knee surgery for an injury he sustained during an exuberant celebration at the World Baseball Classic.
Without Diaz, the Mets had to rely heavily on the trio of David Robertson, Brooks Raleigh and Adam Ottavino. At first, the bulls managed to hold out. However, Diaz’s absence created a ticking clock, destined to run out eventually.
Moreover, the already poor situation of the New York Mets was exacerbated by the inadequate performance of the starting rotation. With Justin Verlander out of action for the first month, Max Scherzer struggling, and Jose Quintana missing the first half of the season, the Mets faced a severe lack of consistency.
To compound their problems, the Mets dealt with an inconsistent offense and questionable defense, which added to their list of problems.
On the other hand, Manny Machado, Jake Cronworth, and Xander Bogaerts have all performed poorly in the Padres. For all their spending, San Diego’s playoff chances look pretty slim right now.
The New York Mets, who were originally expected to be in the mix with the Atlanta Braves for the NL East title, sit 18.5 games behind first and fourth in the division. San Diego, on the other hand, is fourth in the NL West, nine games behind the leading Dodgers.
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