Mets drop slugfest with Royals despite strong offensive performance

James O'Connell, New York Daily News on Jul 7, 2026

Published in Baseball

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NEW YORK — Tuesday night at Citi Field, there was a brief display of bad baseball in a game between two bad baseball teams. And it certainly opened up with a bang.

In the bottom of the first inning between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals, Carson Benge tapped an infield single back to pitcher Seth Lugo — with two runners on base — and then the games would begin. Lugo tossed the ball past Jac Caglianone into foul territory, allowing AJ Ewing to score.

Then, Bo Bichette scored after Caglianone tossed the ball well over the head of Carter Jensen, which was picked up by the third baseman Nick Loftin, who threw it past Jensen allowing Benge to score, completing the Little League home run on an embarrassing three-error play. It was the first three of 12 runs scored by the club.

Despite all of that, the Mets lost by four.

16-12 to be exact, after the Royals’ seven-run top of the seventh inning ignited the come-from-behind victory to take the first of a three-game set. For the second time in team history, the Mets dropped a game in which they scored 12 or more runs, historically, they are now 200-2.

The Mets’ bats did have some answers, recording four extra-base hits — including two homers, one by Juan Soto and the other by Ewing who recorded his first career four-hit game. Jorge Polanco even added an RBI double in the seventh despite being showered with “Pete Alonso” chants from the home crowd as fans continue to voice their displeasure with David Stearns roster decisions allowing the nucleus of their old core to walk.

However, the pitching, as evidenced by the score, was abysmal.

Kodai Senga came out of the bullpen — after Cionel Perez opened a clean first inning — to allow four runs on five hits in three innings of work raising his season ERA to a jarring 8.92. Austin Warren was charged with five runs on four hits without even recording an out in the fifth. Then, Matt Seelinger allowed all of the seven runs scored in the seventh in his MLB debut. None of their arms had an answer for the Royals and especially Tyler Tolbert, whose five hits tied an MLB for consecutive hits in as many at-bats, recording 12 in his last 12.

The Mets’ struggles have been well-documented this season and as the losses keep piling up, the more uncomfortable conversations will be had at this season’s trade deadline. The Mets will look to bounce back on Wednesday night, sending out Christian Scott to the mound.

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