The Mets got David Wright back Saturday night, but it didn’t put an end to their losing ways.
With the team on the edge of irrelevance, the Mets lost 5-3 to the Rangers at Citi Field and have dropped eight of their last 10 games as general manager Sandy Alderson weighs what approach to take as the non-waiver trade deadline nears.
Bartolo Colon had his second straight shaky outing and the Mets fell a season-high 11 games out in the NL East, giving up four runs in the first, including a three-run homer to Robinson Chirinos.
Colon has allowed first-inning runs in each of his past four starts and can’t explain his early-game issues.
“I have no idea why that’s been the case,” Colon said through a translator.
There don’t seem to be answers for much of what ails the Mets these days, as they were unable to overcome a 5-0 deficit.
Down two runs in the eighth, a pair of leadoff walks were wasted when Juan Lagares failed to get a bunt down then hit into a double play.
“The thought process was to try to stay out of the double play,” manager Terry Collins said of the decision to sacrifice down two runs. “He’s not swinging real good right now.”
He’s not alone.
Though a healthy and productive Wright figures to help the Mets, he isn’t completely pain free after missing seven games with a bruised left rotator cuff ,and the team has plenty of other problems.
A day after Alderson said he didn’t think the Mets were far from being playoff contenders, Wright said he hoped that remained the case to prevent a sell-off.
“It’s a process and we’re obviously trying to win now, but I’m sure Sandy has his thoughts on the future, too,” said Wright, who went 1-for-4. “Whatever he decides to do I’m sure guys will accept, but you never want to be sellers at the deadline because that pretty much means you’re rebuilding for the next year or the future.”
And Wright has been through that before.
“It’s kind of a delicate balance between trying to win now and also looking forward to the future and trying to build something that’s a yearly playoff contender,” Wright said.
Wright’s return Saturday allowed him to avoid a disabled-list stint. The next step is making sure Wright can stay on the field. He said the injury was “definitely a lot better” and he would attempt to avoid making any more headfirst dives on the base paths, although that is not a new development.
“I’ve tried to do that for a few years now,” Wright said. “I think I do a pretty good job of it, but you get in a situation like the one where I got injured, there’s this sense in your mind that it’s a big situation and you get in your mind that you feel like you’re faster sometimes, and you just don’t think about it and you do it. But definitely going forward that’s something I need to do a better job of going feet first.”
Whatever concerns may exist, Wright just hopes to provide a boost for the offense.
“I’d like to think I make a positive impact on the team,” Wright said. “I know it’s been somewhat of a roller-coaster ride this year as far as us in general offensively and me in particular, personally with ups and downs. Hopefully I help produce and finish up strong before the All-Star break.”