Mendoza addresses – Carlos Mendoza admitted the Mets’ mistakes have piled up, even as they started Tuesday night strong with a 5-0 lead. Washington’s late turnaround—sparked by a fourth-inning sequence that included a throwing error charged to Bo Bichette—sent New York to a 9-6 l
The Mets had a five-run cushion and a chance to begin the 2026 season on solid footing. Then the inning flipped on them.
New York built an early 5-0 lead through the first two innings against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night. But by the time the third inning arrived. the Mets were already down by a run. 7-6. with Nolan McLean not at his best. The damage didn’t fully show up until the fourth inning. when everything broke open with runners on second and third and just one out.
McLean induced a ground ball straight toward Bo Bichette at shortstop. From there, it looked like Bichette had the play—until Luis Torrens couldn’t corral the throw, sending it toward the backstop. Two runs scored for Washington, and that swing proved decisive.
The Mets went into the night with momentum, but after that fourth inning, they saw Washington score nine unanswered runs after New York’s 5-0 start in the second inning. The final score landed on New York’s side in the standings, but not in the game itself: the Mets lost 9-6.
Bo Bichette was charged with a throwing error that allowed two runs to score, a moment that will linger in the same conversation as the overall defensive miscues New York has shown in recent days.
After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza insisted the organization still has the pieces defensively—even if the results haven’t matched the belief. “Not good. The past four days or so making errors on routine plays. We’re a good team defensively,” Mendoza said via SNY on X (formerly Twitter).
That evaluation sits on top of another frustration for the Mets: Francisco Lindor is currently on the IL with a calf injury. With Lindor sidelined and the team struggling to find consistency, New York “just hasn’t gotten into a rhythm for this entire season,” as the season context makes clear.
For now, there’s a thin comfort in the calendar. The Mets have 114 games left to play in 2026. so time remains on their side as they try to dig themselves out of the hole they’ve started to climb. But Tuesday night against Washington turned that climb into a steeper one. with basic mistakes on the field turning a strong early start into a loss the Mets will feel for the week ahead.
MLB New York Mets Washington Nationals Carlos Mendoza Francisco Lindor Nolan McLean Bo Bichette Luis Torrens 2026 season throwing error
5-0 lead and still lose… defense is cursed or what.
I swear every time Mets get an early lead it turns into a disaster. The throwing error thing—like how does that even happen in the fourth inning? Lindor being out too makes it worse, but cmon.
Wait I thought that error was charged to someone else? Like if Bichette had the play but Torrens couldn’t catch it… that’s on both dudes. Either way, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza saying “we’re a good team defensively” is wild when they just fall apart routine throws.
Bo Bichette throwing it into the backstop is exactly the kinda stuff that haunts you. Also idk why Nolan McLean wasn’t on it, like is he hurt or just having one of those games? Mets season already sounds cooked, even with 114 games left like that doesn’t fix the vibes. Nationals really just woke up and ran the board.