The New York Mets' nightmare start to the 2026 season has hit a new low, as their losing streak ballooned to 10 games with a 4-2 defeat against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. This skid, their first of double-digit length since 2004, has sunk their record to a dismal 7-14, tying them for the worst mark in all of Major League Baseball—a shocking reality for a team boasting the league's second-highest payroll.

Hopes were pinned on newly acquired ace Freddy Peralta to halt the slide at Wrigley Field. An early solo home run from Mark Vientos gave the Mets a brief 1-0 lead, but the momentum was short-lived. Cubs outfielder Ian Happ quickly tied the game with a homer off Peralta, setting the stage for a decisive sixth inning.

After Peralta exited with two runners on, reliever Brooks Raley served up a devastating pinch-hit, three-run blast to catcher Carson Kelly, who continues his torrid start to the year. Peralta's final line—5.2 innings, three earned runs—wasn't disastrous, but it was rendered moot by an anemic Mets offense that went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

The offensive struggles are a team-wide epidemic. Beyond catcher Francisco Alvarez, the lineup is in a profound slump. Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and high-profile additions Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien are all hitting well below expectations, while the absence of slugger Juan Soto due to a calf strain has only deepened the crisis. The Mets currently rank last in the majors in runs scored and on-base percentage.

A visibly frustrated Bo Bichette summed up the clubhouse mood postgame, telling reporters, "It's tough right now. If we knew the answer, we'd do it. But we'll keep working to try and figure it out." For a franchise with championship aspirations, the search for answers and a spark to reverse this historic slide is becoming increasingly urgent with each passing loss.