Zohran Mamdani jokes about 'Curse of the Mambino' for Mets losing streak since mascot hug

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani jokingly accepted the blame for the Mets' 11-game losing streak, saying he was fine being deemed "Mayor Mambino" with the supposed "Curse of the Mambino" beginning when the mayor posed for photos with Mr. and Mrs. Met. “There’s a lot of baseball to be played,” Mamdani told reporters Tuesday. “I’m still keeping the faith as I know that many Mets fans are across the city.” “I will accept being addressed as Mayor Mambino for the day,” he joked, referring to The New York Post front page. Mamdani, a Mets fan, was sworn into office in January and his meeting with the team's mascots set off furor among New York sports radio hosts and pundits. The Mets' 11-game losing streak entering Tuesday is the team's longest since 2004, an ugly stretch for the team with baseball's highest payroll.

Mamdani curse? Mets drop 10 straight games after NYC mayor hugs Mr., Mrs. Met. Read today's cover here: pic.twitter.com/orAG2vuHBr

— New York Post (@nypost) April 21, 2026 Mamdani said the best he could do was offer the team his "best wishes" as the Mets try to avoid another historical flop of a season. "Eleven losses, that's a lot, whether it's in April or any point of the season," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "But nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We have got to find a way." The mayor is also a vocal Knicks fan, with the NBA team currently tied 1-1 with the Atlanta Hawks in their first-round playoff series. Mayor Mamdani addresses the Mets’ 11-game losing streak, saying he’d accept being called Mayor Mambino today, a nod to Post coverage I believe

“There's a lot of baseball left to be played, and I am still keeping the faith,” Mamdani said. pic.twitter.com/z4ByLLRsuu

— Josie Stratman (@JosieStratman) April 21, 2026 *This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: *