The New York Mets' season continues to spiral, with their losing streak hitting a painful nine games after a 12-4 defeat to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday. This marks the team's longest skid in two decades, a stark contrast to the preseason optimism that surrounded the club.

All eyes were on starting pitcher Kodai Senga, hoping for a bounce-back performance. Unfortunately, the right-hander's struggles deepened. Coming off the worst start of his career, Senga lasted only 3 1/3 innings, surrendering seven runs (six earned). His command was the primary issue, as he walked three and couldn't put hitters away early in counts.

The Cubs capitalized quickly. After loading the bases in the first inning, Seiya Suzuki drove in a run with a single before rookie Moisés Ballesteros launched a devastating three-run homer on the first pitch he saw, putting the Mets in a 4-0 hole before many fans had settled into their seats.

The Mets' offense showed a brief flicker of life in the second. Tyrone Taylor's bases-clearing hit off the wall brought the score to 4-3, but he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, halting the momentum. Any hope of a comeback was extinguished when Senga served up another two-run homer to Nico Hoerner in the third, effectively putting the game out of reach.

With Senga's ERA ballooning to 8.83 after four starts, the questions are mounting in Queens. The team's front office has publicly backed manager Carlos Mendoza, but the on-field product—a combination of shaky pitching and inconsistent offense—has fans and analysts alike searching for answers. As the losses pile up, the pressure to find a solution and reverse this historic slide only intensifies.