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Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-26 · by Patrick Stevens The Associated Press
The New York Mets suffered a 7-6 loss to the Washington Nationals, securing their worst finish since 2003 with a record of 73-87. Despite starting the season with a league-record $358.4 million payroll, the team will end up in last place for the first time since 2002. Josiah Gray earned his first career save for Washington, which has now won nine out of twelve games and is guaranteed to finish fourth in the NL East division.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The New York Mets were assured of their first last-place finish in the National League East since 2003 after losing to the Washington Nationals by a score of 7-6 on Friday night. This loss seals the Mets' fate despite starting the season with a record-breaking $358.4 million payroll, making it clear that high spending does not guarantee success. The Mets finished the game at 73-87 for the season. Meanwhile, the Nationals secured fourth place in their division, having won nine out of their last twelve games. Notably, Josiah Gray earned his first major league save and home appearance since April 2024 after returning from Tommy John surgery.
Written for “Mets Last Place Finish” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
The high-spending New York Mets were assured their first last-place finish since 2003, losing to the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Friday night as Josiah Gray earned his first major league save in his first home appearance in more than two years.
asserted
Gray → spend → years
Dylan Crews homered for the Nationals (76-84), who have won nine of 12 and are guaranteed fourth in the NL East.
asserted
who → homer → East
They have been fourth or fifth for seven straight seasons since winning the 2019 World Series.
asserted
They → win → Series
New York (73-87), which began the season with a major league record $358.4 million payroll, will finish last for the first time since it was 66-95 in 2002.
asserted
it → begin → 2002
Bo Bichette and Carson Benge homered for the Mets.
asserted
Bichette → homer → Mets
Benge became the first Mets rookie with 20 homers and 20 steals in a season.
asserted
Benge → become → season
Gray worked around Juan Soto’s two-out walk in the ninth, getting Bichette to hit a soft grounder to the mound to cap his first outing at Nationals Park since April 4, 2024.
asserted
Bichette → work → April
An All-Star in 2023, Gray underwent Tommy John surgery the following year and did not return to the major leagues until last week.
asserted
Gray → undergo → week
Gus Varland (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
asserted
Varland → pitch → innings
Up next
New York RHP Jonah Tong (2-2, 4.21 ERA) starts as the series continues Saturday in a game moved up to 12:35 p.m. because of rain forecast later in the day.
asserted
series → start → day
LHP Connelly Early (7-5, 3.44), acquired from Boston for Curtis Mead on July 26, will come off the injured list to make his first start for the Nationals.
asserted
Early → acquire → Nationals
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