3 worst NY Mets losses against the Braves in team history

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Is there a team that has caused more pain to the New York Mets than the Atlanta Braves? Well, yes. The New York Mets have caused more pain to the New York Mets. Aside from being their own worst enemy, it’s the National League East rival Braves who seem to have the Mets number better than anyone else over a long period of time.

Oddly enough, they weren’t even rivals until 1995 when MLB realigned the divisions. This hasn’t kept the Braves from handing the Mets some devastating losses.

It’s these three that stand out most as the most miserable Mets losses against the Braves.

Worst Mets losses: 3-game sweep at the end of 2022

The National League East was there for the Mets to win in 2022. Did they collapse or did the Braves catch them? Either way you look at it, they controlled their own destiny. From September 30-October 2, the two teams played each other in Atlanta. The winner of the series would have a chance to take the division. You know what happened.

Game one saw Max Fried take down Jacob deGrom whose 11 strikeouts wasn’t enough, especially with Tylor Megill giving up two runs in relief. The Mets only scored twice themselves so even if Megill didn’t put them further out of reach, this would’ve been a Mets loss. It pushed the teams to an even 98-59 on the season.

The Braves retook the division lead the next day when Kyle Wright outmatched Max Scherzer. A far more deflating pitching performance than the one the Mets got from deGrom, Scherzer failed to get through the sixth inning. Responsibility doesn’t fall solely on Scherzer in this one. The Braves scored 4 runs and the Mets only mustered 2.

Then came the finale. The Mets were against Charlie Morton in a “revenge for Pete Alonso” spot. He exited after 4.1 but the Braves bullpen held their own. Meanwhile, Chris Bassitt didn’t even get through the third inning with 4 earned runs across. A bulldog for much of the season, this hound came up small at the end.

The magic number became one for the Braves who’d end up with an identical record as the Mets. However, because they won the season series, they were awarded the division title. It was all right there for the Mets who’d have a nearly identical result in their playoff round.

Worst Mets losses: June 8, 2023

A bit random, you probably actually do remember this game a little more than you realize. A day after Pete Alonso was hit on the hand by Braves starter Charlie Morton, the team looked for vengeance in the form of a victory. They sent Justin Verlander to the mound against Spencer Strider. A projected pitcher’s duel turned into a bludgeoning against pitchers.

Verlander would only last 3 innings and give up 5 runs, 4 of which were earned. Strider was much worse. He’d go 4 innings but allow 8 earned runs. The Mets showed no mercy. A Brandon Nimmo grand slam in the top of the second put them ahead and they’d stay that way at least for a little while.

The Braves chipped away. A two-run home run by Travis d’Arnaud in the eighth off of Drew Smith. An Orlando Arcia solo shot in the ninth off of David Robertson tied it. The Mets and Braves went into extras. Three quick Mets outs and it was the Braves’ chance with Tommy Hunter on the mound.

Hunter retired two batters and walked another only for Ozzie Albies to end the game with a three-run home run. The Braves completed their sweep of the Mets the next day in a series where New York held the lead each time. It was the turning point of the season. They entered the series an even 30-30. They’d never return to .500 again.

Worst Mets loss: Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS

A bitter rivalry had already begun with the Braves before their incredible comeback in 2000. The Braves dominated the NL West for the first half of the decade. Now it was their turn to do the same in the NL East. The two clubs would meet in the 1999 postseason. Matched against one another in the NLCS, Game 6 became one of the worst losses in Mets history.

Riding a high going into this game, the two teams went into extras. Knotted up at 9-9, Kenny Rogers was summoned from the bullpen for the 11th inning. A leadoff double was the first bad omen for New York. A sacrifice bunt followed then came two intentional walks with a runner on third. The bold strategy wouldn’t pay off, Cotton.

Rogers, not tasked to get a double play groundout versus Andruw Jones, failed his mission. With the bases juiced, he walked Jones. The fourth ball resulted in an Atlanta run and a victory. It gave them their fourth win of the series and a National League pennant.

There are a lot of bad ways to lose a game. A bases loaded walk is certainly one of them. For it to happen a day after the infamous grand slam home run and resulting in the end of the year and the Braves advancing to the World Series only piles onto the misery.

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