4 Mets injuries and 1 other event that hurt the team's playoff chances most

No single moment cost the New York Mets a chance at this year’s playoffs. There wasn’t a blown save, a misfielded groundball, or a strikeout with the bases loaded. The Mets are headed toward a year of missing the playoffs because of multiple factors.

Four specific injuries and one other event can be blamed as to why the Mets aren’t fighting for a division title and are barely holding onto a shot at a wild card berth.

1) NY Mets losing Edwin Diaz in the WBC changed the bullpen plans

How much does a closer really matter when your biggest problem isn’t blowing games in the ninth inning? David Robertson was terrific for the Mets. It was almost as if they didn’t even need Edwin Diaz.

Why this matters is because the Mets lost what Robertson was meant to be—a top-of-the-line setup man. Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley became the only reliable relievers in the bullpen in front of Robertson this year. Even Ottavino had stretches where we wouldn’t trust him to water a houseplant.

Diaz’s freak injury in the WBC was taken by some as a bad omen for what was to come this year. Moving everyone up a slot in the bullpen could have worked if only the Mets were able to have a few arms we didn’t expect to contribute perform well. Unfortunately, players like Tommy Hunter and Stephen Nogosek made the Opening Day roster but were DFA’d early. John Curtiss hasn’t been superb. Jeff Brigham wore out his welcome, too.

The Mets’ record might not be all that different if they had Diaz. Add in these other events and we begin to see a greater picture of why there won’t be a game 163.