$340M Mets Suffer Historic MLB Collapse, Miss Postseason

The 2025 New York Mets, despite a $340 million payroll and star player Juan Soto's historic contract, suffered one of the most shocking collapses in MLB history, failing to reach the postseason after a strong start to the season. They held the best record in baseball through mid-June but went 38-55 over their last 93 games, culminating in a must-win loss that ended their playoff hopes, leaving players and management to describe the season as a painful failure. The team's internal evaluation highlighted issues with clubhouse culture, defensive deficiencies, and ineffective hitting strategies, with criticism also directed at hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes. Veteran players like Jeff McNeil are expected to be traded as the Mets plan significant offseason changes to rebuild and avoid repeating their collapse. Manager Carlos Mendoza and star players, including Soto and Francisco Lindor, openly acknowledged the failure and frustration, emphasizing the need for accountability and execution. This season's unraveling marks a stark contrast to their previous year's success and has left the franchise grappling with how to fix the team's dynamics and performance moving forward.