MIAMI — Late in Tuesday's game, home plate umpire Stu Scheurwater ejected Mets manager Luis Rojas for arguing balls and strikes. Rojas, it seemed, did not like a called third strike on the disciplined Brandon Nimmo that ended the top of the seventh inning — though it actually appeared to be a strike upon further review.
The scene symbolized the potential frustration on the Mets, who on Tuesday lost their third game in a row and seventh in 10 tries. They dropped this one, 5-4, to the Marlins at loanDepot Park. They are now 55-51 and only lead the Phillies by 1 1/2 games in the NL East.
It featured two elements: Taijuan Walker's continued regression and the offense's continued struggles.
Walker unable to bounce back
Taijuan Walker before the All-Star break: 25 earned runs in 90 innings pitched.
Walker since the break: 20 earned runs in 15 innings pitched.
He's regressed. The question: Is this Walker swinging back toward the mean or simply a rut? The Mets probably don't have time to answer that — they need him, and now.
Jacob deGrom is shut down from throwing and David Peterson is on the injured list. The Mets declined to trade for a bigger name than Rich Hill or Trevor Williams at the deadline, so they're relying on Walker, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco, Tylor Megill and Hill until deGrom returns.
One reason for Walker's recent struggles is his inability to prevent the long ball. He allowed two more home runs on Tuesday — when he surrendered four earned runs over 5 2/3 innings pitched — and has now served up seven home runs in four starts since the break.
The Marlins hit him hard. Along with the two home runs, the Marlins scored two more when Bryan De La Cruz hit a two-run single for the first RBIs of his career.
What's wrong with Walker?
The Mets have until his next start to figure that out.
Offense fizzles again
The Mets got the leadoff man on in five of the first six innings against Marlins starter Nick Neidert.
Given that, you would think they would have scored more than three runs. They are really struggling, though.
Two of their runs scored on Dominic Smith sacrifice flies, while J.D. Davis doubled home the other. Just like Monday, the Mets had a couple flyouts to the warning track.
Something is wrong. They could easily break out at any point because they have talent, but they've been this way for most of the season. Fans are concerned, and it's difficult to blame them for feeling that way.
Just like in the series opener, the Mets clawed back within a run. This time, they had three full innings to tie the game. They couldn't.
They trailed by two heading to the ninth after Seth Lugo allowed a run in the eighth. They faced Miami closer Dylan Floro.
James McCann lined a two-out, two-strike double to score one run and keep the game alive.
The Mets then pinch-hit Brandon Drury, who has been hot since the team recalled him. He lined the first pitch he saw — but it went barely foul. He then grounded the next pitch right at a defender to end the game.
In the first inning, with two men on, the two Mets struck out consecutively to end the inning. In the second, after the leadoff man reached, the slumping Michael Conforto hit into a rally-killing double play before McCann grounded out.
The Mets took advantage of Marlins mistakes for their first two runs. A wild pitch allowed Jeff McNeil to advance to third before Smith scored him in the fourth, while Neidert hit McNeil in the sixth to put two men on base.
Otherwise, the Mets couldn't get much going.
