3 Mets weaknesses which led to them falling back to .500

Mets hitters aren't walking, but opposing hitters are

Not only is the bottom of the Mets' lineup not hitting, the team is getting destroyed in the walks department. Against the Blue Jays, the Mets drew just four walks, compared to 14 allowed. The problem with this is twofold. Mets' pitchers aren't finding the strike zone, and Mets' hitters haven't been able to work the count to get free passes.

Kodai Senga was sensational against the Phillies in his previous start, allowing no walks and only one hit in seven shutout innings. On Sunday, though, he reverted to the walk-happy ways that have plagued his first two months in the majors, allowing five in 2.2 innings.

Contrast that with the man whose spot in the rotation Senga ostensibly took, Chris Bassitt. The former Met was efficient in a dominant start on Friday, striking out eight while letting up three hits and zero walks, all while dealing with the fact that his wife went into labor shortly before his start.

Tylor Megill and Justin Verlander, the other Mets starters over the weekend, allowed a combined eight walks between them, but they were able to work around the danger and provide the Mets with a chance to win. Still, the number of walks is concerning, and it's something that will certainly catch up to them should it continue.

More can be said about the hitting approach that the Mets bring to the plate, but there were many at-bats this weekend that unfolded in a similar fashion. Take the first pitch for a strike right down the middle, then chase balls out of the zone later in the count. Our own Josue de Jesus will be examining this troubling trend and what the Mets need to do to fix it. Suffice it to say, the Mets aren't doing themselves any favors by walking so many hitters and failing to draw walks themselves.