The New York Mets returned home to Citi Field Tuesday facing an 11-game losing streak and last place in the National League East. Manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged the team's struggling performance, saying "Our fan base, they're going to let you know when you're not playing well." Empty seats dominated the ballpark on a chilly 46-degree night as fans stayed away from a team with playoff expectations now hitting just .200 during their skid.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor had predicted the fans would "get very loud" but the sparse crowd didn't react until Lindor hit a three-run homer in the third inning. The Mets led 3-0 before letting Minnesota rally for a 5-3 victory, extending their losing streak to 12 games. Pitcher Sean Manaea admitted "It's not going to be good, which is justifiably so -- we're not playing well whatsoever" as the team continues to be outscored 62-19 during their current slump.

The Mets received some hope with slugger Juan Soto expected to return Wednesday after missing 16 games with a strained quad. While fans like Patrick Heaney, who attended alone despite a $12 ticket, showed their support, the team needs to improve quickly to regain fan enthusiasm. As Mendoza noted, "They're also going to be right behind you when we flip it around," acknowledging both the criticism and the loyalty of Mets fans during this difficult stretch.