The New York Mets are experiencing an 11-game losing streak, humorously attributed to a 'curse' after NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani hugged the team mascot. This narrative has gained traction online and was even discussed by Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Key points
New York Mets on an 11-game losing streak
Zohran Mamdani hugged Mr. Met at Citi Field
Fans jokingly blame Mamdani for the losing streak
Sean Hannity discussed the 'Mamdani curse' on his show
The narrative has gained traction online
Mentioned in this story
New York MetsZohran MamdaniSean Hannity
The New York Mets’ early-season collapse has become one of baseball’s most talked-about storylines thanks, in part, to a running joke involving New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a Citi Field mascot hug some are calling a “curse.”
It all started, according to the growing online narrative, when Mamdani appeared at the ballpark and shared a friendly embrace with Mr. and Mrs. Met, an interaction that has since been jokingly blamed for the team’s sudden 11-game skid by fans, commentators, and even Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Hannity even amplified the theory on his show Monday as he discussed the video of Mamdani, a Mets fan, and former President Barack Obama singing ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ at a Bronx preschool.
“And by the way, the New York Mets, they are on an 11-game losing streak... right after the Mayor met and hugged the team mascot, Mr. Met, at Citi Field on April 9 - a phenomenon people are calling ‘the Mamdani curse,’” Hannity said. “It’s kind of hard to lose 11 games in a row in baseball, but he pulled it off.”
His colleague Emily Compagno laughed during the exchange, while Hannity continued to target government social safety net programs such as Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and Obamacare. He also asserted that Mamdani’s political intentions were aimed at “indoctrinating” children from a very young age, specifically ages 1 and 2.
Q&A
What is the 'Mamdani curse' related to the New York Mets?
The 'Mamdani curse' refers to the humorous belief that the Mets' 11-game losing streak began after Mayor Zohran Mamdani hugged the team mascot, Mr. Met.
How did Zohran Mamdani's appearance at Citi Field affect the Mets?
Mamdani's friendly embrace with the Mets' mascot at Citi Field is jokingly blamed by fans for the team's sudden losing streak.
What did Sean Hannity say about the Mets' losing streak?
Sean Hannity discussed the Mets' 11-game losing streak on his show, linking it to Mamdani's interaction with the mascot and calling it the 'Mamdani curse.'
Why is the New York Mets' losing streak significant?
The Mets' losing streak has become a notable topic in baseball discussions, highlighting the intersection of sports and political humor.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani may have 'cursed' the Mets after hugging the team's mascot earlier this month, fans, including Fox News host Sean Hannity, say (Getty Images)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani may have 'cursed' the Mets after hugging the team's mascot earlier this month, fans, including Fox News host Sean Hannity, say (Getty Images)
Footage of Mamdani embracing Mr. and Mrs. Met has divided the internet on whether he's to blame for the team's losing streak (X/Ari Hoffman)
Footage of Mamdani embracing Mr. and Mrs. Met has divided the internet on whether he's to blame for the team's losing streak (X/Ari Hoffman)
“It’s not enough that he has to destroy our city, but he has to destroy our sports too,” Compagno added.
The New York Post also entered the growing narrative, featuring Mamdani alongside the Mets’ mascots on its Tuesday front page under the headline “Curse of the Mambino,” a play on the famous “Curse of the Bambino.” That long-running baseball superstition claims the Boston Red Sox were cursed after selling Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919. The Red Sox went 86 years without a World Series title following the move, while the Yankees went on to win 26 championships in that same span.
Before Mamdani’s visit this month, the Mets started the 2026 season 7-4 and showed early promise despite injuries, including losing outfielder Juan Soto to a calf strain on April 3. Soto had been a standout hitter, batting .355 over his first eight games. The team briefly built momentum with a series win over the Giants and four straight victories, the last of which came on April 7 against the Diamondbacks.
Since then, the Mets have fallen into a 11-game losing streak, the franchise’s worst since 2004. They have been swept by the Athletics, Dodgers and Cubs during that period.
The collapse is especially frustrating for fans given the Mets’ financial investment, with a luxury tax payroll estimated at $381 million and an additional $126 million tax bill, bringing total spending to roughly $507 million for the season, the Associated Press reports.
The New York Mets are currently in their worst run of form since 2004 (Reuters)
The New York Mets are currently in their worst run of form since 2004 (Reuters)
Mets fan and Bronx resident Nelson Berrios, who told the NYP that he voted for Mamdani, even claimed the mayor brought the Mets “bad juju.”
“When he hugged them, I was like, ’ What’s going on?’” Berrios told the outlet. “Nobody touches Mr. Met, only Mrs. Met, that’s it.”
Some critics of Mamdani joked that, just as he has advocated higher taxes on wealthy New Yorkers, he was “squeezing the mojo” out of the Mets in the same way.
“The Mets are embracing Mamdani Socialism: they're spreading wins around to teams with far lower payrolls,” said a user on X.
But not everyone was convinced by the so-called “Curse of the Mambino.”
“I mean, it’s the Mets,” one person wrote on X. “I don’t think hugging Mamdani really mattered.”
Mamdani addressed the “curse” Tuesday when asked about it during an announcement on a new early childhood education initiative in the city, saying he is “taking it all in stride.”
“I'll first say that there's a lot of baseball left to be played, and I am still keeping the faith, as I know that many Mets fans are across the city - though I will accept being addressed as Mayor Mambino for the day,” he joked.
