NEW YORK — As the Mets’ front office leans on cold data and roster tweaks to snap a painful 13-game losing streak, the fan base has gone full mystic. A viral phenomenon called “The Mambino Exorcism” is exploding across social media, with thousands of die-hards gearing up for a massive ritual outside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda before tonight’s series opener against the Giants.
The whole thing revolves around the so-called “Curse of the Mambino.” Fans trace the meltdown back to April 9, when newly elected NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani stopped by Citi Field and got caught on camera in a big, enthusiastic hug with Mr. and Mrs. Met. The Mets won that day… and haven’t won since. Supporters have dubbed the progressive mayor — a self-described “man of the people” — the accidental villain behind the team’s collapse.
Tonight’s “Exorcism” is meant to symbolically purge the bad mojo. Organizers are urging fans to show up with holy sage, kosher salt, and classic 1986 jerseys to form a “circle of protection” around the stadium. Online petitions are even demanding that Mayor Mamdani issue a formal apology to the mascots and perform a “reverse hug” to flip the luck back in the Mets’ favor.
Mamdani himself has taken the “Mambino” label in stride. “I’ve been called plenty of things in politics,” he told reporters outside City Hall on Thursday, “but baseball jinx is a new one. I’m a Mets fan through and through — I want them to win as badly as anyone. If me showing up is the issue, I’ll stay locked in Gracie Mansion until the parade. But honestly, I think the batting average might be more to blame than the Mayor’s Office.”
Tongue-in-cheek or not, the ritual captures the raw frustration of a fan base that’s watched $370 million in talent deliver the worst record in baseball. As they fire up the sage tonight, the hope is that a strong outing from new ace Christian Scott — mixed with a little mystical help — will finally chase the ghost of this 13-game nightmare out of Queens for good.