SAN DIEGO – Mets Struggle in 7-1 Defeat to Padres

The Mets’ offense had a rough night even before their star player, Juan Soto, exited the game due to injury. Soto had an unfortunate encounter with a foul ball that struck his foot, leading to his premature departure.

It was a disappointing evening at Petco Park, where the Mets faced a 7-1 loss to the Padres. Soto, who has been a key player this season, experienced pain after the incident during the fourth inning. He attempted to walk it off but eventually knelt on the field. Both team trainer and manager Carlos Mendoza rushed to his side.

After a brief assessment, Soto continued to bat but seemed affected. He managed a hit, but it didn’t lead to any scoring opportunities. As the game progressed, he was replaced defensively in the later innings. The Mets labeled the injury as a foot issue, but details were scarce since they entered San Diego on a seven-game winning streak.

In this game, Mets batters struggled against Padres pitching, only managing four hits without producing anything meaningful with runners in scoring positions. Their famed hitters, known as the “Fab Four” — Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, Soto, and Pete Alonso — were particularly underwhelming.

Nimmo was 0-3, while Lindor has been slumping with only a .145 average in his last few games. Soto had also been struggling before his injury, and Alonso’s performance mirrored this decline. It’s kind of unsettling, seeing such talented players not performing at their best.

Despite their offensive struggles, there was a momentary spark from pitcher Sean Manaea, who put in a solid five innings, retiring 12 batters in a row. However, his solid outing was overshadowed when the game slipped away after he was pulled from the mound.

As the game unfolded, the Padres took control, with a pivotal moment coming from a two-out RBI triple that gave them a 2-1 lead. Then, things got worse for the Mets as the Padres scored five runs in one inning, highlighted by a three-run homer from Manny Machado.

The Mets had a brief glimmer of hope in one of the innings, but they really needed to capitalize more. They loaded the bases without an out, only to struggle as their top hitters, including Lindor, failed to deliver.

Even with a few shining moments from Jose Iglesias, who impressed with both his bat and glove, the Mets’ offensive struggles echoed throughout the game. It was a tough night all around for New York, and there’s a lingering sense of concern as they look forward to turning things around.