On August 5, 1973, the New York Mets were 12 games under .500 with a record of 48-60, 11 ½ games out of first place.
Although they would begin to level off, they would sink to 13 games under .500 with a record of 53-66 on August 17, but would be only 7 ½ games back. So, record-wise, August 17 would be their low watermark of the season.
Then, in coordination with the return of front-liners Cleon Jones, Bud Harrelson, and Jerry Grote, the Mets went on a tear going 29-13 the rest of the way, a .690 winning percentage.
The 2025 Mets started off going 45-24, a .652 winning percentage, 21 games over .500 and a 5 ½ game lead in the NL East. Since then, they have gone 35-52, a winning (or losing) percentage of .402, 17 games under .500 during that span. In comparison, the Mets 1973 record of 48-60 was a .444 percentage and the low watermark of the season was .445. So it wasn’t even as bad as the stretch the current Mets have been going through.
The point is that the Mets, although going through a huge bad spell, suffered it, recovered from it, and then when supported with a healthy roster, got hot and made their move in a division that was also suffering throughout the season but never recovered. And, most importantly, although injuries had a great impact on the roster, the Mets had a rotation of Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Jon Matlack, and relief corps led by Tug McGraw.
The 2025 Mets are in the exact opposition position. They ran out to a great start, even with inconsistent performances, putting together a nice run. However, the injuries suffered by this year’s version of the Mets were not the kind of injuries that would be easily overcome. And worse, the inconsistencies never improved. So while some players are having great statistical years, it hasn’t translated to wins for the team which is more important than home runs, stolen bases, and all of those silly celebratory hand motions the players give for a virtually meaningless event.
The Mets have gone from first place to being on the periphery of the last wild card spot, now having to claw their way back into the post season picture. When the Mets made their move in 1973, they had the talent and they were playing well. That’s why you HAD to believe back then. The 2025 Mets don’t have the kind of talent that the ’73 club had, especially the pitching, and they certainly are not playing well. So what’s there to believe in now?
