Trading places: NY Mets and Phillies are in opposite spots compared to last season

To say that this past week in Philadelphia was frustrating for the New York Mets would be an understatement. Not only were the Mets swept by the Phillies, but they did not even look competitive during the four-game series. They were outscored 27-10 and had an average margin of loss by around four runs. The Mets' dreams of an NL East title are all but dead and are barely hanging on to the last Wild Card spot.

However, the worst part about this sweep is that it highlights the difference between the two teams' clubhouses. Ken Rosenthal recently wrote an article about how good the vibes are in the Phillies clubhouse and how everyone is bought in on winning baseball games. This sounds eerily similar to the attitude the Mets had during the 2024 season. It's almost as if the Mets and Phillies have swapped places from last season. But what is the reason for this dramatic switch?

The Mets are just going through the motions while the Phillies have some magic to them

It's been a complete 180 for these two clubs. Back in 2024, while the Mets were the hottest team in baseball and seemed to be winning off the power of friendship and Grimace, the Phillies were struggling. Coming down the stretch, the Phillies had a record of 30-28 and looked cold going into October. This is the main reason why the Mets were able to beat the Phillies in four games during the NLDS.

This year, the Phillies have a "Last Dance" feel to them. This is the last year that this core will be together. With J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber pending free agents and Nick Castellanos seeing a reduction in playing time, this Phillies team will look much different next season. Thus, the vibe is that this is our last chance, so let's leave everything out on the field.

The Mets, on the other hand, don't have something to rally around. While fans like to say things like Grimace and OMG turned the team around, it was the veteran leadership that kept the team in it. Guys like Jose Iglesias, Luis Severino, Jose Martinez, and Jesse Winker brought an energy to the field and clubhouse that the team thrived off. It's likely the Mets don't come close to the playoffs last season without them. Once they left, the good vibes and energy of 2024 left as well.

To make things worse, no one on the current roster has filled the holes left by those veterans. Sure, Starling Marte has tried to be that guy, and Winker is still on the team, but neither of them has been able to recapture that magic. It also doesn't help that guys like Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto aren't raw-raw guys. Their leadership comes from their performance on the field, not by giving a passionate speech in the locker room.

This lack of a spark is the reason why the Mets have struggled for majority of the season. Once things went bad there wasn't something for the team to rally around, and thus the team never got back on track. This is a problem the Mets will have to address this offseason, regarding of how this team finishes.