There was a lot for the New York Mets to be frustrated by in the first two months of their 2024 season, but their lowest point might have been on June 2, when they blew a one-run lead in the ninth to cap a disastrous homestand in which they went 3-7. That loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks dropped their record to 24-35 -- already 16.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East.
It had been a month of misery for the Mets -- one highlighted by late-inning blown leads and extra-inning losses, injury setbacks, outbursts and ejections, a players-only team meeting and finally, a roster shake-up. The season was spiraling out of control as only the Mets know how to spiral. Their playoff odds, according to FanGraphs, had fallen below 8% and the trade rumors -- mostly about Pete Alonso -- were starting to heat up, even with the trade deadline nearly two months away.
Then, the Mets flipped a switch. Since that June 2 loss to the Diamondbacks, they've gone 36-19, the best record in the majors over that span. They're in the thick of the wild-card race -- hardly a lock in a crowded NL field, but their FanGraphs odds have improved to 39%. New York is also a half-game ahead of the Atlanta Braves and 7.5 behind the Phillies in the division -- a far cry from the 16.5-game deficit they faced at the start of June.
So, what changed the Mets' fortune and helped them go from laughingstock to playoff contender? Here are four keys to their turnaround as the Mets take on the Seattle Mariners on "Sunday Night Baseball" (7 p.m. ET).