After being in playoff position every day this season since April 5, the Mets woke up Monday on the outside looking in, having been pa sed by the Reds with six games to play. As they head out on their final six-game road trip starting Tuesday in Chicago against the Cubs, followed by a trip to Miami to close out the regular season, Acce s the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Theyve been among the worst teams in the sport for more than three months, they just dropped a series to the last-place Nationals, and they lost 11 of their past 15, all while knowing that their playoff prospects were slipping away. Now they have to face a Cubs team thats already clinched a postseason berth and a Patrick Williams Jersey Marlins team that has won six in a row and 10 of 11. On top of that, while the Mets were one of the best teams in the majors at home, theyve struggled on the road (31-44) and finished their most recent trip with six straight lo ses. Theres work in front of us, Pete Alonso said following their latest defeat by Washington on Sunday. Weve got to go do it and go leave it all out there the last six games. They havent done that lately, or much at all since the first two-plus months of the season. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor reacts after hitting into a double play in a game against the Washington Nationals. JASON SZENES/ NY POST Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is greeted by New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso after Lindor scores on his solo home run in the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Sunday, September 21, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST Since June 13, the Mets are 35-52, the 27th-best record in the majors, just ahead of the Nationals at 34-54. That horrendous stretch immediately followed their 45-24 start, which was the best in the majors. Explore More Still, after all the roadblocks they faced mostly of their own creation the Mets were in solid position as recently as Sept. 5. At that time, they were tied with San Diego for the second wild-card spot in the National League, four games clear of the Giants and with the Reds six games back and a game under .500 after the Mets took the first game of a series in Cincinnati. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza in the dugout, in the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Sunday, September 21, 2025 in Queens, New York. Lindor was charged with a throwing error. JASON SZENES/ NY POST Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Then came two lo ses to close out the series with the Reds, losing all four games of a series in Philadelphia and two more lo ses to Texas at Citi Field. Even after a stretch of winning four out of five against Texas, San Diego and Washington, the Mets are out of a playoff spot due to consecutive home lo ses to the last-place Nationals. Mets outfielder Juan Soto (L) argues with home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak (R) after he strikes out to end the game against the Washington Nationals in the 11th inning at Citi Field on Saturday, September 20, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST CHECK OUT THE AND Weve just got to win, Alonso said. Its that simple. Winning solves everything at this point. Weve just got to do it. It starts Tuesday at Wrigley Field with David Peterson on the mound, likely followed by rookies Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean in Chicago, then Brandon Sproat in Miami. We can turn it on in an instant, Brandon Nimmo said Sunday. Were gonna get good baseball [against the Cubs]. We should enjoy it because not everybody gets to be in this position. Try to look at it a little more positively, as were playing for the playoffs rather than we just lost a game Sunday. As last years unlikely run to the NLCS, which followed another frenzied finish to the regular season, and the succe s of the early part of this season fade into memories, the Mets have le s than a week remaining to try to repeat their October succe s and avoid one of the worst collapses in baseball history. Its do or die at this point, Sean Manaea said. So weve got to figure it out. If anyone can do it, its us. Scottie Pippen Jersey