(Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II, AP)


Following another loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, the New York Mets’ season appears to be on a knife edge. Despite being favored to win the game, with pre-game odds setting the Mets at -155 money line favorites against the Brewers’ +135, the team couldn't deliver.

The Mets are currently caught in an uneasy limbo. Once the 6th favorite to win the World Series at 9/1 odds, they're now standing at a stark 60/1, a drop from just a week ago when they were 45/1. This volatility echoes a similar trend in their season: high investment, and low return.

Mets owner Steve Cohen pulled no punches in a recent press conference, expressing his frustration and indicating potential changes if things don't turn around soon. He said, "All is not lost yet, but it's getting late… If they don't get better, we have decisions to make at the trade deadline."

"Hope," the billionaire hedge fund manager and art collector contested, "is not a strategy...We don't have a lot of options."

The Mets' season, so far, has been a shock, considering their record $360 million payroll – the highest in the history of the sport. Yet they find themselves 17 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East, and an almost equally daunting 9 games out of the last wild-card berth. Their star-studded roster, including Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and Francisco Lindor, has been underperforming, causing concern among fans and management alike.

The Braves by the way have won 13 out of their last 14 games with their only loss coming in an 11-10 thriller to the Reds with rookie of the year candidate Elly De La Cruz setting records, shagging ludicrous foul balls & hitting for the cycle in an electric star-making game of the season performance!

Getting back to the other side of baseball, the unhappy side of baseball - today's losers: The Mets' updated odds to win the NL East sit at a grim 80/1, reflecting their predicament, while the Braves are cruising comfortably at -2000. The Mets' odds of making the playoffs have also taken a hit, with bookmakers pricing "Yes" at +400 (~18%) and "No" at -500 (~82%).

Fangraphs projects the Mets to win 80 games, 12.5 games lower than their preseason Vegas win total.

For Cohen, the problem isn't just the stats and odds; it's about the return on his substantial investment. "I don't care if it's 16½ or 14½ or 18½. It's terrible," he admitted, signaling his disappointment with the team’s performance.

Amid fans clamoring for managerial shakeups, Cohen affirmed that GM Billy Eppler and manager Buck Showalter would "absolutely" remain in their jobs through the end of the season. The exact words many Mets fans do not want to hear at the moment.

"I'm a patient guy. Everybody wants a headline, fire this person, fire that person," Cohen told the media Wednesday. "The worst thing you can do is be impulsive and win the headline for the day. I know the fans want something to happen."

If not the managerial staff, changes may still be coming to Citi Field if the Mets continue to slide. Last week, the Mets traded third baseman Eduardo Escobar to the Los Angeles Angels for two pitching prospects, paying the Angels $4,720,430 in the deal, according to ESPN.com.

As we reflect on Wednesday's loss, both Mets fans and seasoned bettors find themselves in deep contemplation about what lies ahead for the remainder of the season. The uneasy reality presented by both Cohen's remarks and current betting odds presents a stark contrast to the lofty aspirations and exorbitant spending that characterized the team's outlook at the season's onset.

Pregame.com will monitor any special odds often put on offshore markets when massive changes are expected for American sports teams.

The imminent trade deadline could potentially be a game-changer for bettors closely following the Mets. The team's management decisions during this period might well determine the future of key players, bring about shifts in the odds, and drastically change the course of the Mets' season. However, as Cohen rightly pointed out, hope alone is not a winning strategy. With half the season yet to unfold, the Mets are on the precipice of some challenging choices.

Looking ahead to tomorrow's game, the Mets are set to face the Brewers again, with their fortunes resting on the shoulders of Max Scherzer. Despite his recent struggles, market expectations remain high for Scherzer, reflected in the Mets' -185 favorites status for the game. Adrian Houser will be starting for the Brewers. The over/under for the match has been set at 8.5. As the season moves into its latter half, it's clear that every game from here on will carry increased weight for the Mets' season trajectory.

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Related: Reds' Elly De La Cruz Continues His Unlikely Surge in the NL Rookie of the Year Race, Jacob deGrom Needs Surgery Due to Torn UCL -- Why the Vegas Betting Market Still Likes the Rangers' Chances, 

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