Mets eliminated from postseason contention
After a promising offseason, the New York Mets won't come close to playing when it matters most.
On Friday, the Mets were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention after losing to the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park 5-4 in 10 innings.
The Mets entered the 2023 campaign with the highest payroll in baseball after a winter spending spree that landed the team Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga while retaining Brandon Nimmo, among others.
By the trade deadline, the front office pivoted to sellers, shipping out Verlander, Max Scherzer, Tommy Pham, Mark Canha, and David Robertson.
Currently fourth in the NL East with eight games remaining, the Mets boast a bloated payroll of $343 million, according to Spotrac. That's $65 million more than the second-largest payroll, owned by the crosstown New York Yankees.
The Mets went 101-61 last year and finished in a dead heat with the Atlanta Braves for the NL East crown that needed to be settled via tiebreaker. The Braves won their 99th game of the 2023 campaign on Friday.