Mets Match Longest Losing Streak in 22 Years

This was not something the New York Mets envisioned so early in the season.

After dropping their series opener to the Chicago Cubs on Friday, 12-4, the Mets have now lost nine straight games for the first time since 2004.

The Mets have lost nine straight games.

It is their longest losing streak since 2004. pic.twitter.com/cR57XBvYsl
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 17, 2026

Once again, New York fell behind early after Kodai Senga allowed four runs in the bottom of the first inning, including a three-run homer. And while the Mets' offense seemed to come alive a bit when they answered with three runs in the top of the second inning to cut the deficit to 4-3, Senga allowed a two-run homer in the bottom half of the frame, extending Chicago's lead to 6-3. He would exit the game in the fourth inning, lasting just 3.1 innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Miscues on defense were also the story of the game as Brett Baty, who was playing in just his sixth game at first base this season, committed two errors in the fourth inning, costing the Mets a run. It was an all-around ugly game for the Mets (once again) as they have dropped to 7-13 on the year and are in last place in the NL East.

A defensive inning to forget for Brett Baty pic.twitter.com/i9O0kWUd3P
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 17, 2026

What's Gone Wrong

What has gone most wrong during this losing skid for the Mets? — Apr 17, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) speaks before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

It isn't the fact that the Mets have lost nine straight -- it is how they have lost most of these games. They have been outscored a startling 56-16 during this stretch and have lost by six runs or more five times.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza talked about the mindset of going through a streak like this after the game.

"You can't have that type of mindset. We gotta be able to flip the switch here. If we start making excuses - it feels that way - but at the end of the day, we just got to go out there and execute," Mendoza said.

Carlos Mendoza on the snowball effect of bad luck in the midst of their losing streak

"You can't have that type of mindset. We gotta be able to flip the switch here. If we start making excuses - it feels that way - but at the end of the day we just got to go out there & execute" pic.twitter.com/ORm6Lf18Q4
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 17, 2026

To put this losing streak in perspective, only nine teams in Major League history have made the playoffs when they went through a nine-game losing streak during the regular season, five of them since 2010, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Four of those teams went one to win a pennant, with the 1953 New York Yankees the only one to win the World Series.

Only nine teams in Major League history have lost nine consecutive games and still made the playoffs, though five of those instances have occurred since 2010.

Four of those nine went on to win the pennant. Only one -- the 1953 Yankees -- won the World Series.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 17, 2026

So there is still hope for the Mets to right the ship, especially since it's still early in the season. However, there is certainly a sense of urgency for the Mets to snap out of this losing streak, given the amount of talent this ballclub possesses.

New York will now turn to Freddy Peralta on Saturday in the middle game of the series, who is coming off his first solid start as a Met, tossing six innings of one-run ball last Sunday in a tough luck loss to the Athletics. The Cubs will throw out Jameson Taillon.

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