Acce s the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. It was as if that violent swing from Juan Soto, which rocketed a no-doubter into the second deck in right, was aimed directly at the Mets stomach. Such was the pain from this gut punch that left the Mets spiraling and nearly out of the playoff picture. After seven excellent and scorele s innings on defense and on the mound, the Mets caved in the eighth and ninth in a crushing 3-2 heartbreaker to the Rangers in front of 41,752 at Citi Field who began Saturday afternoon and ended the night booing what is left of the 2025 Mets. Carlos Mendozas group (76-73) now has lost eight straight the teams longest skid since 2018, and none more devastating than No. 8 and only is clinging to a half-game wild-card edge because the Giants lost, too. We got to get going here fast, Mendoza said after the late-inning collapse furthered the teams collapse and spoiled a gem from Brandon Sproat. Thats the bottom line. Explore More No one within the Mets is calling out another because there is no feeling that anyone is not preparing well. There Yogi Ferrell Jersey has been no questioning the work ethic or the proce s. And yet a $340 million outfit has been among the worst teams in all of baseball since mid-June, and no one can explain why. We have the energy. We have the guys, said Soto, whose clinching of a 40-30 season was all but forgotten by the end. We have everything we need to go all the way. Edwin Daz wipes his brow after the eighth inning of the Mets 3-2 lo s to the Rangers on Sept. 13, 2025 at Citi Field. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST The only thing is we just keep losing games. I dont know I dont know what else to do right now. On the backs of Francisco Lindors aggre sive legs (which manufactured one run in the fifth) and Sotos monstrous blast in the seventh inning plus seven strong innings from Sproat and Brooks Raley the Mets entered the eighth ahead 2-0. This is when a team that has gotten creative in finding ways to lose unraveled. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! The first miscue: With Tyler Rogers on the mound, Josh Smith swung at a 1-2 pitch and made contact with Francisco Alvarezs glove. Its a completely different inning without that catchers interference, Mendoza said, but the inning that did occur included Wyatt Langford doubling to put the tying run on second. After a sacrifice fly and strikeout, Edwin Daz entered needing to record one out to escape but this was the wild version of Daz. After a wild pitch, he walked Josh Jung. Rowdy Tellez then roped a ground-rule double down the right field line to tie the game. A dejected Cedric Mullins heads back to the dugout after striking out in a key at-bat in the eighth inning of the Mets lo s to the Rangers. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST I was trying to go ahead in the count, and [Tellez] just hit it in the right spot, said Daz, who promised he would close out the game if called upon Sunday. He could not do so Saturday: After a scorele s bottom of the eighth, Daz returned for the ninth and allowed two singles. The first, off Cody Freemans bat, deflected off the leaping glove of Lindor. Brandon Sproat delivered six scorele s innings but had to settle for a no decision in the Mets lo s to the Rangers. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST I should have caught it, the shortstop said. The second, a gapper to right-center from Langford, scored the go-ahead run to complete the dagger of a comeback. The Mets had a chance in the bottom of the ninth, Soto poking a one-out single into center and pinch-hitter Ronny Mauricio smacking a two-out single to right to bring Soto 90 feet away from home. But Brandon Nimmo struck out to clinch yet another series lo s. Juan Soto hit his 40th home run of the season in the Mets lo s to the Rangers. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST The culprits for the final two innings were obvious, but there were many more on a night the Mets finished 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base. There was a pinch-hitting Cedric Mullins striking out with two on and two out in the eighth. There was Brett Baty getting picked off second base when the Mets had two runners on without an out in the sixth. There was Jose Siri punched out with Starling Marte on third base to end the fourth. There was Marte staring at Strike 3 with the bases loaded in the first. We got a few situations where we didnt get that big [hit], Mendoza said. You add that to the fact that were not playing fundamental baseball. It is increasingly po sible that they wont be playing any baseball within two weeks. Everybody has a sense of urgency, but for some reason we havent been able to close out games, Lindor said. Its one of those where: Everybody should look at each other in the eyes saying, S, keep pushing. Harrison Barnes Jersey