Mets' postseason hopes fade after 6-2 loss to Marlins; Reds gain edge in wild-card race
Mets tied for sixth wild-card spot as Cincinnati holds head-to-head tiebreaker; owner Steve Cohen watched from South Florida
The New York Mets' postseason hopes dimmed further after a 6-2 defeat to the Miami Marlins in South Florida, a result that left the club tied for the sixth and final wild-card berth. Cincinnati's 3-1 win over Milwaukee tightened the scramble, and the Reds now hold the tiebreaker over New York on head-to-head results. Should the teams finish tied for that spot, Cincinnati would earn the postseason bid while the Mets would be left out.
The defeat added to a disappointing season for a club whose $340 million payroll has not produced the expected results. Mets owner Steve Cohen traveled from his usual bases in the Northeast to observe the game in South Florida, underscoring the high stakes surrounding this campaign.
A New York Post column described the Mets in blunt terms, calling the team a "340 million disaster" and arguing they do not deserve October. The piece also noted the ongoing trend of underperformance in a wild-card chase that has drawn sharp scrutiny across the industry.
As of the latest results, New York remains mathematically alive in the wild-card race, but the current configuration leaves them at a critical crossroads. The Reds hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Mets, meaning any late-season shifts that do not break the tie could determine whether New York reaches October or watches from the outside.
Analysts and fans alike have watched this stretch with a mix of frustration and disbelief, given the Mets' payroll and the expectations that accompanied it. The club's performance in 2025 has been a focal point of debate, with questions about how the season unfolded and what the next steps will be for a franchise that invested heavily in competing at the highest level.
For now, the Mets' fate rests on a handful of outcomes in the days ahead and whether the team can put together a stretch of losses on the other side of the equation. Until the regular season concludes and the standings crystallize, New York will continue to chase a path to October while facing the reality that their status in the wild-card race hinges on ties that could break in favor of the Reds.