Mets Struggle Early, But Hope Remains

0:00It's April 17th. This is MLB News today, AI-powered story shaping the season. The Mets are stumbling out the gate in 2026 with a 7-12 record and an 8-game losing streak, putting them near the bottom of the National League. Owner Steve Cohen once pointed to the Dodgers as the blueprint for success when he bought the team back in late 2020, but after getting swept, in LA this week, that gap feels massive. They're just a half-game ahead of the worst teams and already five back of the braves in the east. This comes after a busy off-season where they flip to a ton of the roster, letting go of Peter Lanzo, Edwin Diaz, Brendan Nemo, and Jeff McNeil then. Bringing in Boba Shed, Jorge Palanco, Devon Williams, Marcus Semyon, Luis Rapper Jr. and Freddie Peralta, they jump to 7-4 early on with wins over the Giants and Diamondbacks, but losses to Arizona, Oakland, and now the Dodgers have them right. Back in a hole like last September, fans are freaking out, but baseball insiders aren't

1:02hitting the panic button yet. Execs call the clubhouse a weird mix of big names without much soul, and the offense ranks low in runs, homers, average, and on-base plus slugging. Juan Soto's calf injury since early April has hurt, plus slow starts from Bichette, Semyon, and Palanco, all under 600 OPS. Pitchings the bright spot though, sitting 6th in the R.A. with standouts like Clay Homes, Nolan McLean, and Peralta settling in. Rookie Carson Benji won right field in spring, but lets over-mash at 151 batting, and Soto returns next week to help fix things. History shows 7-12 isn't a killer start. Teams like last year's Reds and the 2023 Dbacks bounce back to the playoffs. Execs say the Mets can still scrap for a wild card spot, it's early, so this kid might just be a blip before they turn it around.