NEW YORK — Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, they got worse at Citi Field on Wednesday night.

The Mets were embarrassed by the Washington Nationals in a 14-2 blowout to even the series at a game apiece. A night after an 8-0 victory that was supposed to serve as a stepping stone for better days ahead, the Mets proved it was meaningless, as it set up their worst loss yet.

David Peterson got the start and was abysmal as the southpaw didn’t make it out of the fourth inning. Peterson cruised through the first three innings before the Nationals rallied for seven runs in the fourth. Peterson’s final line was set at 3 2/3 innings, five hits, seven runs, three walks and five strikeouts.

The struggling Sean Manaea entered the game in the fourth and was rocked even harder than Peterson. Manaea went 2 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits while striking out four. His outing was headlined by serving up a grand slam to Brady House in the fourth inning — although the runners on base were charged to Peterson.

Manaea, once the ace of the Mets, has yet to rebound from his injury-riddled 2025 and the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to get further away after his outing on Wednesday.

From a positive perspective, Juan Soto had a big night once again. The superstar went 3 for 5, including a solo homer in the third to give the Mets their only lead of the game. Soto finished a triple shy of the cycle.

Carl Edwards Jr. tossed 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run — a ninth-inning solo shot to Curtis Mead — out of of the pen to finish the game and end the misery at Citi Field.

The Mets will attempt to secure their fourth series victory of the season on Thursday afternoon. Carlos Mendoza will trot out his best in Freddy Peralta against Miles Mikolas for the Nats.