The New York Mets entered the 2021 MLB season with high hopes of making a playoff run.
Instead, their year has been met with stark disappointment after getting out to a strong start.
Now, Mets fans have to come to the realization that this will ultimately be a lost season for a team that many saw as a favorite before Opening Day.
There were “fire Rojas” chants at the Mets game tonight@shea_station pic.twitter.com/0gbRFRS0Qw
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 26, 2021
In a year where they added more talent than other National League East teams and their division is one of the weakest in all of baseball, the Mets have been a failure.
Here are three reasons why the 2021 season is lost for the franchise.
3. Mets Hurt By deGrom’s Health
Early in the season, Mets’ ace Jacob deGrom was on record pace to put up one of the most dominant seasons a pitcher has ever had.
Jacob deGrom, 94mph Changeup. 😦 pic.twitter.com/IuJmCXLA4k
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 6, 2021
His numbers were drawing comparisons to the likes of Bob Gibson and Pedro Martinez.
On top of this, his pitch arsenal took him to another level as he paired a blistering fastball with a number of other plus pitches.
However, deGrom’s Achilles heel has come with his health.
After his hot start in April and May, the star had four different injury scares with his arm.
Each of these forced fans to worry if his arm was beginning to give out, given his thinner frame and explosive pitches.
This culminated to his most recent injured list trip in July, where he was sat down with forearm tightness.
That is also one of the first symptoms of elbow damage.
He has yet to return to the big-league mound, though promising reports state that he is beginning to ramp up baseball activities.
However, with about a month left of the season and a seven-game deficit in the division, it may be too little too late.
3a) There are minor league games in September because 2021 is weird and I blame covid for everything including my terrible memory.
That said, I still think it's the risks of Jacob deGrom pitching again this season far outweigh the rewards.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 25, 2021
Unfortunately, what was one of the most dominant seasons by a pitcher has turned into a disappointment for the Mets.
2. Javy Baez Trade
At the trade deadline, the Mets elected to pick up star infielder Javier Baez from the Chicago Cubs.
WOW what a catch! 🙌 @javy23baez pic.twitter.com/OvvLklOoMB
— New York Mets (@Mets) August 25, 2021
When the deadline passed, the Mets sat six games above .500 and held a solid 3.5-game lead atop the division.
Many in the sport saw this as a jumping-off point for the club, as they were poised for a big second half of the season.
However, the exact opposite happened.
Since that point, the Mets have played poor baseball and nearly dropped out of contention all together.
While hindsight is 2020, it would be hard to argue that the Baez trade was now a failure.
This is both for how the team has since played and the prospects given up.
1. Mets Struggles Adds Pressure
In recent days, the Mets’ outspoken owner Steve Cohen has been critical of the team’s offense.
He took to Twitter following a recent loss to call out the hitters and criticize their approach.
It’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive.The best teams have a more disciplined approach.The slugging and OPS numbers don’t lie.
— Steven Cohen (@StevenACohen2) August 18, 2021
This was widely seen as a bad look, especially doing so on such a public forum.
Former MLB executive David Samson even said that such comments can push a team over the edge, making them not want to play for such an owner:
“Mets players notice when Steve Cohen comes to a game. They notice when he leaves,” Samson said. “Inside that clubhouse, the players look at that owner and don’t want to see him.”
This is both bad in the short and long-term.
In a season that now appears to be lost, Cohen may indirectly be pushing future free agents away with his abrasive nature.
All of this reflects a single message: this season has been a disappointment for the Mets.
Now, fans of the franchise are left with the realization that this is yet another lost season for the team.
NEXT: Francisco Lindor May Be Returning Too Late For Mets