Fans Say the Mayor Doomed the Mets

Superstitious Mets fans have found a new scapegoat amid the team's losing streak, and he wears a suit, not pinstripes. On April 9, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani shared a playful on-field moment with mascots Mr. and Mrs. Met at Citi Field, per the New York Times. There was also a behind-the-scenes hug. Since then, the team has slid into an 12-game skid, its worst since 2002, prompting tabloids to dub it the "Curse of the Mambino" and reporters to press the mayor on whether he can somehow undo it. His answer: he's still "keeping the faith," just like other Mets fans.

The joke—taken as fact by conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg, who says he's switched allegiance to the Yankees—lands easily because the fan base is already primed for suffering and superstition, and because Mamdani, too, has underdog energy. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio says the Mets "represent Mamdani's vibe," contrasting them with the "global elite" Bronx Bombers. In reality, the Mets' problems are straightforward, per the Times: a weak offense and injuries and underperformance from high-priced stars Juan Soto and Bo Bichette. The team now has the worst record in baseball at 7-16, per CBS Sports. City Hall notes the losing streak technically began before the hug.