Mets pick wrong time for latest no-show clunker

MILWAUKEE — About 36 hours after escaping a natural disaster in the south, the Mets authored a self-made debacle, imploding minutes into a crucial game with ace Sean Manaea on the mound. The Mets still control their own destiny even after losing the series opener here, although that isn’t necessarily much of a blessing considering how they’re playing on their biggest trip of the season. 

The current scorecard on the excursion that will decide this season reads like this: Braves one win, Brewers one win, Hurricane Helene two rainouts, Mets two no-show games. 

This certainly was not the time for one of the worst performances of the season but that’s exactly what this was. There was almost zero encouraging happening in the Mets’ 8-4 defeat to the Brewers. 

“They certainly outplayed us today,” Francisco Lindor said. 

Manaea looked nothing like himself and the Mets lineup scraped together not nearly enough against Yankees washout Frankie Montas and Co. What’s more, Lindor, playing his first full game in two weeks, clearly isn’t close to 100 percent no matter what anyone says. And adding to the pain woes, Francisco Alvarez went out in this one, also with a back flare-up. 

Adding insult to injury, noted Mets tormentor Rhys Hoskins played the villain again, smashing a grand slam in the first inning. Not that anyone can choose their conquerors, but Hoskins already was reviled inside the Mets clubhouse.