New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza opened his pregame news conference Sunday with congratulations to the New York Knicks on their NBA championship win the previous evening. During the Mets’ series finale against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, highlights of the Knicks’ title-clinching victory were displayed, signaling a moment of unity and celebration for New York sports fans. Mendoza acknowledged the Knicks’ resilience throughout their season, emphasizing their ability to overcome adversity.

The Mets, however, find themselves in a starkly different position halfway through the 2026 season. After a historic 12-game losing streak in April, the team has struggled to regain momentum and currently holds a 32-39 record. Mendoza drew a parallel between the Knicks’ season and the Mets’ current plight, noting that the Knicks were not defined by their poor stretch in January but by their remarkable turnaround thereafter. The Mets hope to follow a similar path but acknowledge the challenge ahead.

Over the weekend, the Mets showed signs of improvement by taking two of three games from the Braves, the National League’s top team. In Sunday’s decisive 8-1 victory, Freddy Peralta delivered a strong performance, despite allowing three early hits. The Mets maintained an offensive presence throughout the game, registering seven walks— their highest in a game since Opening Day— and never faced an inning without a baserunner. Mendoza credited the team’s disciplined approach at the plate and the ability to create traffic on the bases as key factors in their scoring.

Injuries continue to hamper the team’s efforts to climb back into contention. Star shortstop Francisco Lindor remains sidelined with a calf injury but is tentatively expected to return within a week. Meanwhile, Kodai Senga, sidelined with spine issues for over a year and struggling since a hamstring injury last June, recently threw a bullpen session and could rejoin the rotation soon. Mendoza acknowledged the importance of stabilizing the starting rotation, which has seen frequent changes, putting increased pressure on the bullpen.

While Peralta’s outing on Sunday showed promise, his pitch count surged to 28 after navigating early trouble, limiting his innings and leaving the bullpen to absorb additional workload. Despite this, the Mets capitalized on defensive miscues by the Braves, including a ball striking the pole in the first inning and an over-the-wall attempt to catch a fly ball that allowed runs to score.

Looking ahead, the Mets will continue to face the Braves multiple times, including a series during the July 4 weekend, which Mendoza hopes will find the team healthier and more consistent. Though still well below .500, the weekend’s performance provided a glimmer of hope that the Mets can revive their season by drawing inspiration from the Knicks’ late-season resilience.