Inside The Mets

Carlos Mendoza laments Mets failure to make 'routine' plays in loss

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was not happy about his team's defensive performance on Sunday.
Grant Young|
Mar 28, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza looks on from the dugout during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mar 28, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza looks on from the dugout during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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New York MetsWashington Nationals

The New York Mets were winning their April 27 game against the Washington Nationals by a score of 7-1 in the top of the seventh inning. They ended up losing the game by a score of 8-7.

The collapse began in the bottom of the seventh, when Juan Soto couldn't find a fly ball in the sun that eventually dropped for a hit. This spurred a five-run frame that made the game 7-6.

Read more: Mets star addresses 'stupid' mistake made in loss

When Soto was asked about this play after the game, he said, “That one just got me. It was a tough ball, it just got in the sun. Every time I take a step forward, it was getting in and out of the sun, pretty hard fly ball," per an article from SNY.

That wasn't the Mets' only costly defensive mishap. During a tie game in the ninth inning, Pete Alonso fielded a ground ball with one out and runners on first and second base. While he perhaps could have tried to throw to second, he instead threw to pitcher Ryne Stanek covering first.

But the throw was over Stanek's head, which allowed the run to come home and the Nationals to walk it off.

After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza sent an honest message about his team's defensive woes, saying, "We didn't make a play. Yeah, it's a routine play, and we didn't make it," per an X post from SNY.

The Mets will look to put an end to this sloppy series against the Nationals on Monday, hopefully salvaging a series split.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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