Sep 21, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop Nasim Nunez (26) watches his two run home run against the New York Mets during the second inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
QUEENS, NY — Perhaps losing two of three to a last-place team with a playoff spot on the line is enough of an indication that the New York Mets don’t deserve to be playing baseball in October.
Once again playing catch-up, the Mets (80-76) were unable to overcome an early three-run deficit and dropped a vital rubber game to the lowly Washington Nationals 3-2 on Sunday afternoon in the club’s home regular-season finale at Citi Field — and perhaps the last game they play in Queens until 2026.
They are now relegated to scoreboard watching, as their one-game lead for the third and final Wild Card postseason berth is in danger of evaporating with the Cincinnati Reds leading the Chicago Cubs.
Washington center fielder Jacob Young, who made a circus, kicking catch in the fifth inning to rob Brett Baty of an extra-base hit, made the biggest play of the day in the bottom of the ninth when he made a leaping catch at the wall to take back pinch-hitter Francisco Alavarez’s potential game-tying home run.
The Nationals plated all three of their runs in the second inning off opener Sean Manaea, who got the start in a second-straight piggyback game alongside Clay Holmes, who started last week’s experiment against the San Diego Padres.
Bronx native Nasim Nunez provided the big blow with a two-run home run after Jorge Alfaro’s double and a throwing error by Francisco Lindor plated the game’s opening run just moments earlier.
The Mets got on the board in the third, albeit through chaos. Following Luis Torrens’ lead-off double, Cedric Mullins’ fly ball down the left-field line was nearly caught by a sliding Daylen Lile. However, a brutal collision with the side wall prompted the ball to pop out of his glove, allowing Torrens to come around to score after he initially believed it was caught.
Mullins was also unsure, as he waited between first and second. He then attempted to advance to second amid screams from his teammates in the dugout and was tagged out, but time for Lile’s injury was already called, ensuring he remained safe at first. It mattered little, though, as the next batter, Lindor, lined into a double play.
More bad luck befell the Mets in the fifth inning when Brett Baty’s deep fly to center looked destined for extra bases when Young’s leaping attempt saw the ball bounce out of his glove while colliding with the wall. Somehow, he managed to kick the ball just inches from the ground while backpedaling back up into his grasp to complete the catch.
Lindor pulled one back with a lead-off solo home run in the sixth, his 28th of the season. The Mets proceeded to get two men on with one out, but Jeff McNeil popped up to short before Mark Vientos was rung up on a check swing call by first-base umpire Chris Conroy. With one hand, Vientos slammed his bat onto home plate and was immediately ejected from the game.
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