The Mets’ troubles took a turn for the worse on Tuesday night. They not only lost to the Cubs at Citi Field but also faced the possibility of Kodai Senga losing his spot in the rotation, which adds to their mounting woes.
Juan Soto exited during the game after experiencing back tightness, leaving the game with a score of 9-6 in the fifth inning. The team indicated he had been dealing with a stiff back, prompting daily practice sessions.
On the field, things weren’t looking good either. Chiga struggled again, giving up seven runs in just over three innings during his second outing after being activated from the injured list. This performance raises questions about his future in the rotation.
Carlos Mendoza mentioned he would discuss the situation with team president David Stearns, emphasizing that performance is critical. “We made it clear before the game that performances like this won’t lead to any improvement,” Mendoza stated, acknowledging the urgent need for a turnaround.
Francisco Lindor, who has been out since April due to a calf injury, might make a return soon, possibly appearing in one of the last rehab games with Triple-A Syracuse. However, it seems risky to reintroduce both Lindor and Soto back into the lineup at this point.
Soto managed to grab a fly ball in his two at-bats before being ejected, leading to Jared Young stepping into left field and Mark Vientos moving to first base.
While the Mets had a brief lead thanks to earlier struggles by Chiga, their situation didn’t get any better. Stearns pointed out that the rotation would be assessed on a turn-by-turn basis, and Chiga’s ERA has ballooned to an alarming 14.59 over his last four starts.
In the first inning, Chiga started strong with his fastball, striking out two batters, but issues resurfaced quickly in the second inning. He walked Seiya Suzuki, and a single from Ian Happ followed by a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases without any outs. Chiga struck out Nico Hoerner but then walked Carson Kelly, allowing one run before Dansby Swanson hit a sacrifice fly, and Pete Crow Armstrong delivered a three-run homer, putting the Cubs up 5-0.
After the game, Chiga expressed a desire to keep improving his performance, yet Mendoza grappled with the puzzling nature of Chiga’s decline. “It’s frustrating,” Mendoza reflected. “We were just in the dugout wondering, ‘What’s going on?’ It’s hard to explain.”
Christian Scott is poised to return from the injured list, which could provide a much-needed boost, but the rotation is already thin, with Chiga along with Freddy Peralta, David Peterson, and Sean Manaea all struggling.
The Mets are experiencing a challenging time, especially with Soto being sidelined again and questions looming around Chiga despite his ongoing issues on the mound. Soto has been relatively consistent in his performance, leading the team offensively with a .974 OPS—only behind Shohei Ohtani from the Dodgers in the National League.
Missing Soto for an extended period, coupled with potential difficulties in managing Chiga’s situation, adds more pressure on the already struggling Mets squad.
“I’ve never encountered anything like this in my career,” Chiga remarked, capturing the essence of the current turmoil. Welcome to the 2026 Mets.
