The New York Mets find themselves stuck in the mud at the moment; after coming out of the All-Star break hot by winning seven of their first nine games, they've fallen off a cliff since then — losing 13 out of their past 15, including a 4-3 defeat to the Atlanta Braves on Thursday. They keep on finding new ways to lose; on Thursday, it was trade deadline acquisition Ryan Helsley's turn to be the goat when he allowed two earned runs to cross the plate in the eighth inning to turn a 4-3 Mets lead into a 5-4 deficit.

Considering the premium price the Mets paid to bring Helsley in from the St. Louis Cardinals, this is definitely not the way they envisioned he would perform. In six appearances for his new ballclub, Helsley has allowed a 5.40 ERA in five innings of work. And in the middle of a team-wide slump, the last thing Helsley wants is to cost his team a chance at a slump-busting victory.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, however, is not losing faith in the team's new setup man, if his comments during his postgame interview are any indication.

“This guy's elite, we've just got to get him back on track,” Mendoza said, per SNY on X (formerly Twitter).

Ryan Helsley yet to make a mark for the Mets

New York Mets pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) reacts after giving up the tying run in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.
Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Before the Mets acquired Helsley in a trade, he put up a 3.00 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 36 innings of work as the Cardinals' closer. He has electric stuff, but he was rocked on Thursday, allowing a run-scoring double to Michael Harris II thanks to a poorly-located slider, which Ozzie Albies followed up with a double to right field on a fastball he was sitting on — virtually giving the Braves the victory.

For Mendoza, getting the breaking ball back together is the key to success for Helsley in a Mets uniform.

“The fastball's been getting hit and he's a plus-plus fastball, right? But I think he's leaving that slider in the middle of the strike zone. That's the big difference for me. You see that pitch today to Harris, that slider. They're gonna get ready for 100. And then when that slider's staying right there in the middle of the zone, good hitters are gonna make him pay for it,” Mendoza added.

The entire Mets team, however, has to get it together. They have fallen to five games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the NL East lead, and they're only half-a-game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for the third and final Wild Card spot.

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