Shocking statistic is leading cause to Mets' current downward spiral

Over the last month, there has been plenty of blame to go around the New York Mets clubhouse for the team's downward spiral after an optimistic month of April. From off-the-field issues to on-the-field performance issues, it truly has felt like the Mets have hit rock bottom only two and a half months into the season.

After yet another disheartening loss on Sunday afternoon to the Arizona Diamondbacks, it's fair to key in on one area with the Mets falling down the National League East standings over the last 30 days. SNY Reporter Steve Gelbs pointed out that after Sunday's loss, since May 1st the Mets have lost a league-leading sixth game when they were ahead after eight innings. Shockingly he also had pointed out that there is no other team in baseball with more than two losses in that span.

The New York Mets bullpen has been one of the key downfalls over the last month of the season

Many of us fans, myself included, had thought that the Mets bullpen was going to be a key strength this season after rebuilding almost the entire relief corps this winter. But with Edwin Diaz having an awful season, Brooks Raley being lost for the season, and many of the relievers in the bullpen being shuffled around into different spots they are accustomed to, it has been an absolute disaster late in games for the Mets.

At this point, it's completely up in the air what the Mets can do to remedy this problem. Starting pitchers haven't been going deep into games which has had Manager Carlos Mendoza going to the bullpen early and often. It's also unclear when Edwin Diaz will be back from the injury list and what he will look like on the mound after his struggles early on this season.

The Mets are an entirely different ball club with a healthy and effective Edwin Diaz on the mound as his presence in the bullpen always shortens games for opponents. With the bullpen leading the league in blown leads over the last month, it's going to be a long summer for the Mets if a solution isn't remedied quickly, as evidenced by Sunday's crushing defeat.