The All-Star break didn’t do the Mets much good. They opened the second half of the season with a total flop in a 6-0 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field.
Justin Verlander delivered another lackluster start — he walked a season-high six batters in just five innings — and the offense was nowhere to be found against Dodgers lefty Julio Urias.
Fittingly, it all played out on what looked like a burnt-out cow pasture thanks to a concert that took place during the break. There were swaths of dead grass behind the left side of the infield, as well as in left-center field.
The Mets’ third straight loss dropped them back to seven games under .500 at 42-49 and left them seeming less likely to make a run at the postseason, with the trade deadline just over two weeks away.
They now are eight games back in the wild-card race and a season-worst 19 ½ games back of Atlanta in the NL East.
NEW YORK SPORTS THIS WEEK 