PHILADELPHIA — Sean Manaea’s troubles surfaced at a different pocket of the game this time around. 

But the end result was the same: a middling effort that a suddenly punchless Mets lineup and a bullpen that added some embarrassment could not overcome. 

A subpar start, subpar bats and the dregs of the Mets relief corps conspired to drop a fourth straight game, 9-3 to the Phillies, as the division race has unofficially ended and the wild-card race is unwittingly heating up. The Mets (76-69) fell a bit closer into the unthinkable, now just two games clear of the Giants for the final wild card. 

Manaea was knocked around in the early innings instead of the middle innings that had plagued him, digging a four-run deficit by the end of the second. 

Sean Manaea, who had another rough start, looks down to the ground after giving up a homer to Harrison Bader in the second inning of the Mets’ 9-3 blowout loss to the Phillies on Sept. 9, 2025 Corey Sipkin for New York Post

A four-run hole is more like a canyon for a lineup that, mostly thanks to number-inflating garbage time, has totaled 16 hits in three games and scored 15 runs in the past six games. 

There is a growing possibility that an indisputably talented and wildly expensive Mets club could miss the postseason altogether. 

“No, we will [make it]. We’re good,” Carlos Mendoza said of a team that is 14-25 since July 28. “But we’ve got to play better. We’ve got to fight.” 

A dejected Juan Soto (right) and Jose Siri (left) look on during the seventh inning of the Mets’ blowout loss to the Phillies. AP

They likely will continue fighting behind Manaea, who “as of right now” will make his next scheduled start, Mendoza said. 

After struggling then soaring through five innings in which he allowed four runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five, the lefty owns a 7.71 ERA in his past seven starts. He is pitching for a team that already has demoted Frankie Montas and Kodai Senga and has a six-man rotation. 

But there were positives that emerged after two dispiriting, four-run innings, after which Manaea and Mendoza disappeared from the dugout and met in the tunnel. 

Justin Hagenman reacts after giving up a three-run homer to Kyle Schwarber in the seventh inning of the Mets’ blowout loss to the Phillies. Corey Sipkin / New York Post

The manager could see the frustration growing. The pitcher believed he had been thinking more than he had been pitching. 

“I said, ‘Screw it. Can’t get any worse,’ ” Manaea said after a first inning in which Nick Castellanos ripped a two-run double and a second in which Otto Kemp and Harrison Bader crushed back-to-back homers. “Letting go of all these things that I want to do and just going out and pitching. Just trying to be free. I feel like I actually did that the third through the fifth.” 

Manaea allowed just a walk in his final three innings and roared coming off the mound after striking out Bryce Harper on pitch No. 96. 

It is unclear whether the Mets — should they hold on to a playoff spot — would ask Manaea to start in October. More clear is they at least would ask Manaea to pitch in some role. 

“This is a guy that we’re counting on,” Mendoza said of the 2024 ace. “He was huge for us last year. I know it’s been a struggle for him. Obviously this is frustrating for him, too. But we’re going to need this guy.” 

On Tuesday Manaea recovered, which is more than can be said for his team’s bats. 

After Hunter Greene overpowered them on Sunday and Aaron Nola bewildered them Monday, this time the Mets were helpless against Ranger Suárez. 

Kyle Schwarber acknowledges the crowd after hitting a three-run homer, his 50th of the season, in the seventh inning of the Mets’ blowout loss to the Phillies. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

Because of meaningless late rallies, the Mets finished with eight hits — just one of which came against Suárez during six dominant innings in which the lefty struck out 12 (including Juan Soto three times). 

The Mets did not record a hit until Brandon Nimmo’s single to begin the fifth — which was followed by a double play from Starling Marte. Walks to Francisco Alvarez and Jeff McNeil created the closest thing to a rally as could be considered against Suárez, but Jose Siri then struck out. 

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“You’ve got to give … the pitchers we’re facing some credit. But we also know we’re good,” Mendoza said of a batting order that did not show life until scoring a run in each of the final three innings. “We’re taking good pitches to hit, hitting with two strikes. When we’re clicking, I feel like we’re aggressive, we’re dictating at-bats.” 

Justin Hagenman allowing five runs in three innings, the biggest blow a three-run homer from Kyle Schwarber that was made possible by a lackadaisical play from Mark Vientos, jump-started the party at Citizens Bank Park. 

New York Mets Jose Siri fields a double by Edmundo Sosa of the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets reacts after he strikes out swinging ending the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

On display was the type of world-beating lineup the Mets had in August but which has disappeared through a crucial spot in September. 

“I don’t know,” Soto said of the team’s inconsistency. “We’re trying to figure out what is going on. But we’re definitely working.”