When injuries and pressure mount—like with Juan Soto and then Clay Holmes—it often leads players to push themselves too hard.
This might explain why the Mets’ at-bats appeared to deteriorate as the crowd’s boos grew louder.
Maybe that’s why Francisco Lindor got himself caught in a pivotal moment, straying too far from third and getting tagged out as he tried to scramble back.
On Friday, at Citi Field, in front of 36,349 frustrated fans, the offense fell silent while the jeers echoed. They stumbled through poor base running and ultimately lost to the Athletics, 4-0.
Luis Robert Jr. had a home run in the first inning on Thursday, but since then, the Mets have gone 17 straight innings without scoring.
It’s tough to win games when you can’t put runs on the board, and the Mets (with 7 wins and 7 losses) have now dropped three in a row.
Adding injury to insult, Holmes’ departure marks the first setback for a pitching rotation that had been healthy during spring training and the initial weeks of the season.
He exited the game in the sixth inning with what the team reported as a strained left hamstring. After pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowing one run on his 81st pitch, he left with a trainer, showing no signs of discomfort, though the injury’s severity remains unclear.
Holmes has generally been durable and hasn’t been on the disabled list since experiencing back pain in August 2022.
Tobias Myers stepped in and pitched well until allowing three runs in the ninth inning, but Friday’s issues lay more with the Mets’ offense rather than their pitching.
The Yankees had a rough series against the Athletics, managing just two hits in the final 17 innings, which wrapped up Thursday. They were hitless until Jared Young’s impressive bunt, which they managed to keep fair in the fourth inning.
Myers’ only victory was against former Mets prospect JT Ginn, who pitched four innings allowing just one hit and one walk. However, a potential rally slipped away when right-hander Jack Perkins took over in the sixth. Lindor, feeling sluggish, connected on a single from Bo Bichette and advanced to third.
There was a brief spark of hope in Queens, but it faded quickly. Young grounded out to Nick Kurtz, and Lindor might have thought the first baseman was attempting a double play.
Yet, manager Kurtz focused on Lindor, who was too far from third. After a moment’s hesitation, he made a precise throw across the diamond, catching Lindor as he tried to scramble back.
Just three pitches later, Robert grounded into a double play, which drew more boos, providing a somber soundtrack for the final inning.
