As badly as the Mets have played, at least they aren’t the Marlins and Nationals. That becomes a relevant point beginning Friday, when manager Mickey Callaway’s beleaguered bunch begins a stretch of 13 straight games against those NL East slackers. Add an ensuing series against the uninspiring Tigers, and real opportunity exists over the next 16 games, between now and Memorial Day, for the Mets (17-20) to resurrect a lackluster season.
“They have got to make hay,” a major league talent evaluator said Thursday. “They have got to win 70 percent of those games.”
By that math, the Mets should be shooting for at least 11-5 over the next 2½ weeks before beginning another trip out West, where the Dodgers and Diamondbacks will be waiting.
First come the Marlins, who entered Thursday with the majors’ worst record — and it wasn’t particularly close — at 10-26. The Mets swept them in Miami last month and will have Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard lined up to pitch in succession.
That the Marlins have flopped is hardly surprising given a tear-down the past two winters that has shed stars Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton and J.T. Realmuto, among others.
The Nationals, who began play Thursday night in Los Angeles in turmoil at 14-22, are a different story. Injuries to Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, Trea Turner, Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Adams decimated a talented lineup and placed manager Dave Martinez firmly on the hot seat.
“When everybody is totally healthy, playing, that is probably the best lineup in the division,” the talent evaluator said.
Rendon returned to the lineup this week, and Soto could play this weekend. But the Nationals have got problems that extend deep beyond their lineup.
“Probably the worst bullpen on the planet,” the talent evaluator said. “If their bullpen was just average, they would probably have four or five more wins.”
The Mets have endured their own bullpen struggles, but the biggest factor in a 1-5 road trip through Milwaukee and San Diego was an underperforming lineup. In their past eight games the Mets have averaged just two runs.
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Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Wilson Ramos and Todd Frazier have slumped simultaneously, but the lineup could receive a boost soon with the possible activation of Jed Lowrie from the injured list.
Jeff McNeil and Amed Rosario have been among the team’s steadiest offensive performers lately, and Pete Alonso resurfaced in San Diego after a relatively quiet stretch.
But even with the team’s ugly performances recently, the Mets will begin play just 4½ games behind the Phillies in the NL East.
So here’s the Mets’ chance, over the next 16 games, to make a statement that they intend to remain in the race.
“They can win the division as easy as any of the teams, other than Miami,” the talent evaluator said. “This has to be a time where you have t
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