Pinning the blame on one player for each loss in June by the Mets

Often times it’s not fair to pin a loss on one player. But as nothing has been fair about this 2023 season for the Mets, we’re going to do just that. This is my list. Your list might have a dozen different names and be just as correct. With that out of the way, here are all of the Mets’ losses in June. It’s not a short list.

6/30 – David Robertson gives up a 3-run HR in the eighth and the club suffers a 5-4 loss.
6/29 – Starling Marte grounds into a GDP in the seventh with the bases loaded and strikes out with them loaded in the ninth to end the game. Mets lose, 3-2.
6/28 – Hard to blame one guy but Grant Hartwig came on in a tie game and immediately gave up the game-winning run. Amazin’s lose, 5-2.
6/26 – Drew Smith comes on with a 1-0 lead and serves up a two-run homer sending the squad to a 2-1 loss.
6/25 – Lots of pitchers to blame but Brett Baty boots a double play ball in the four-run eighth that leads to a 7-6 loss.
6/23 – Mets dropped two balls in the outfield that in a perfect world Francisco Lindor catches both and no runs score. Instead, it’s a 5-1 setback.
6/21 – Dominic Leone surrenders 4 ER in 1.1 IP, including 2 HR, in a 10-8 loss to the Astros.
6/20 – Justin Verlander wasn’t horrible but he allowed 4 ER in 7 IP in a 4-2 loss.
6/18 – Carlos Carrasco gives up 6 R in 3 IP, including 2 HR, in an 8-7 defeat.
6/17 – In a one-run game, Jeff McNeil comes up with two runners on base in the seventh and completes his 0-4 night with his fourth ground ball out. Mets lose, 5-3.
6/13 – Max Scherzer gives up 6 ER in 3.1 IP, including 2 HR in a 7-6 loss to the Yankees.
6/11 – Omar Narvaez twice strands two runners on base in a 2-1 defeat.
6/9 – Tylor Megill surrenders 9 R in 3.2 IP in a beatdown to the Pirates.
6/8 – Again, lots of pitchers to blame but Tommy Hunter serves up a 3-run gopher ball in the 10th inning in a 13-10 loss to the Braves.
6/7 – Handed a 4-1 lead, Scherzer gives up 5 ER in 5.2 IP.
6/6 – Smith gives up the tying and go-ahead runs in a 6-4 defeat.
6/4 – Mets battle back to tie the game with 3 HR to watch Leone serve up a gopher ball that meant a 6-4 loss.
6/3 – Baty goes 0-3 with 3 Ks, including twice with a runner on second base in a 2-1 setback.
6/2 – Jeff Brigham allows two runs in the ninth to put the game out of reach, a 3-0 loss.

*****

No one remembers but the Mets actually won the first game of this horrid month, one that they finished 7-19. Looking back at this subjective list, it’s noteworthy how many different names are on it. Of course, whenever a team wins a bunch of games, someone inevitably exclaims with great shock, – “Someone new comes thru every night!” Do you really expect it to be one or two guys to propel a team forward night after night after night? So, it’s not the least bit surprising when it takes the whole team to lose night after night after night.

Finally, amidst all of the lousy play has been a truly remarkable performance by Tommy Pham. In June, Pham came up 93 times and posted a .349/.387/.640 line. Additionally, he went 3-5 with 3 BB in his last two games in May. That gives him a 1.086 OPS in his last 101 PA. And we could see another week or so of this terrific performance before his six weeks are up.