NEW YORK — The struggling New York Mets came back to their home stadium Tuesday evening hoping to end an 11-game losing streak, but instead found themselves dealing with a mostly empty Citi Field and increasingly frustrated supporters.
The atmosphere shifted dramatically as it became obvious the team’s struggles would continue for at least one more game.
Struggling reliever Devin Williams gave up a go-ahead RBI hit to Luke Keaschall during the ninth inning, extending New York’s losing streak to 12 games in a 5-3 defeat against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday evening.
Despite carrying baseball’s highest opening-day payroll at $352.2 million, the Mets now own the sport’s poorest record at 7-16. This current losing streak represents their longest since dropping 12 consecutive games between August 10-23, 2002. Historically, no team has reached the playoffs after enduring a 12-game losing streak during a season.
Throughout this losing stretch, New York has managed just a .194 batting average while opponents have outscored them 67-22. The team has played without star hitter Juan Soto during this entire period, though he’s scheduled to return Wednesday following a 16-game absence due to a strained left quadriceps.
“I’ve never been a part of something like this,” Williams said. “I think we just need to get the one win out of the way and I think everything else will take care of itself. But it’s obviously proving pretty difficult right now.”
Williams, who couldn’t record a single out, faced loud boos from the remaining fans in the announced crowd of 32,798. The actual attendance looked much smaller on an evening when temperatures dropped to 46 degrees at game time.
Some spectators expressed their frustration through the classic protest of placing paper bags over their heads.
Supporters began shouting “Fire Mendy!” while Williams walked batters to load the bases. Relief pitcher Austin Warren came in and earned cheers when he struck out Royce Lewis. The crowd then chanted Warren’s name after he struck out both Brooks Lee and Byron Buxton.
Earlier in the day, the atmosphere was much more optimistic.
Patrick Heaney sat alone in section 524 at Citi Field just before game time, smiling as he looked across rows of vacant seats.
“You wouldn’t be here tonight if you weren’t a Met fan,” Heaney said.
Star shortstop Francisco Lindor had predicted after Sunday’s 2-1, 10-inning defeat to the Chicago Cubs that Tuesday’s home crowd would “get very loud.” However, fans remained relatively quiet until the third inning, when Lindor connected on a three-run home run that opened the scoring and gave the Mets their largest lead since defeating the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on April 5.
“I think if they can get it going today, I think the fans will rally around them,” said Josh Hudson, a Tennessee visitor attending on business who purchased a $15 secondary market ticket and sat in section 509.
Heaney, who lives in Malverne on Long Island and wore his Mets cap along with a 2022 playoff sweatshirt, smiled while describing how he ended up purchasing a $12 ticket and attending the game by himself.
“I couldn’t get my wife to come,” Heaney said. “I couldn’t get my kids to come. I couldn’t get my friends to come. I bought one ticket, the cheapest one I could find, and I’m going to see if I can help them turn it around.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza, now in his third season leading the team after spending six years on the Yankees’ coaching staff, stated before the game that he wouldn’t mind a cold reception because he understands how supporters will respond if the team improves.
“They’re also going to be right behind you when we flip it around,” Mendoza said. “We’ve seen that before, too, so it’s nothing new for us that have been here. We expect those guys to continue to support us, but we’ve got to do better for them, too.
“It’s all part of it. It comes with the territory. Wouldn’t want it any other way.”
