MLB replay rules keep targeting NY Mets, but they're still winning

In the second game of the series against the Washington Nationals on Saturday, the New York Mets snatched a gritty 2-0 win, highlighted by a clutch hit from their catcher and a stellar outing from Clay Holmes. While ground ball outs and key pitching moments were the highlight, the real show of the afternoon came from the Nationals’ three successful replay challenges. Just the night before, the Mets were denied the chance to review a triple play that shouldn’t have been. Fast forward to the next game, and three calls are overturned in the Nationals’ favor, correctly, of course, because what’s baseball without a little irony to spice things up?

The NY Mets, boasting a 19-8 record, are formidable, yet it seems as though they are facing not only their opponents but also the MLB replay system.

In the fourth inning of Friday's game against the Nationals, the Mets were victims of a rare and controversial triple play. With no outs and runners on first and second, Jesse Winker hit a sharp line drive to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. The ball appeared to bounce before Lowe caught it, but he quickly threw it to second baseman C.J. Abrams, who stepped on the bag and threw it back to Lowe at first to complete the triple play. Replays clearly showed the ball had hit the ground, but under MLB's replay rules, line drives caught in the infield are not reviewable. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza argued, but the call stood, leaving the Mets and their fans wondering what could have been.

A similar sense of frustration occurred in the series against the Minnesota Twins when a baserunner was incorrectly called safe despite video evidence clearly showing he was out. That blown call led to a run-scoring and ultimately contributed to the Mets losing in extra innings. The Mets were out of challenges, highlighting a significant flaw in the current replay system, one that allows blatantly wrong calls to stand simply because the team has exhausted its challenges. This isn’t about one lost game; it’s about ensuring that when the evidence is clear, the system can correct obvious mistakes for the sake of fairness and accuracy.

Blown calls happen to every team, whether it’s in the batter’s box or on the field, but when a system exists specifically to get calls right and it still fails, something’s got to give. The concept of replay is meant to ensure accuracy, yet managers are left to play detective in a 10-second window, while the umpires stay on the sidelines. Maybe it’s time for a rethink—after all, the NFL has found a way to let the umpire crew correct blatant mistakes on their own, rather than making the coaches do it.

Despite the bad calls and what often feels like battling two opponents, one on the field and one in the replay booth, the Mets are still holding strong with a 19-8 record. And the Nationals winning three challenges in one game. It's just the baseball gods having a little fun at the Mets’ expense. Even with these blatant miscalls and the frustration that comes with them, the Mets continue to rack up victories. With the season still in its early stages, the Mets are showing they’ve got the grit to keep stacking wins, no matter how many obstacles are thrown in their path.