Callaway: It will 'take a miracle' for Mets to get out of tough spot

The New York Mets sit eight games below .500 and are losers of five straight heading into Friday's contest against the first-place Atlanta Braves, which isn't giving manager Mickey Callaway much hope for the future.

"We're in a tough spot. It's gonna take a miracle," Callaway told Mike Francesa on WFAN, according to SNY. "I've seen miracles before ... We're down in the win-loss column. That's the bottom line.

"We understand we're in a very, very, very tough situation. It may take a miracle to get out of it," Callaway continued. "That's happened before in Mets land. They're celebrating the (50)-year anniversary of it, and we're hoping that that can happen. We're optimistic we can get this thing going."

Following the Mets' 6-2 loss to the Braves on Friday - their sixth straight - Callaway clarified that his "miracle" quote was a play on words but added that if his team continues to lose there could be some truth to the statement.

"If we don't change what's been happening, if it keeps going this way, heck, it will take a miracle," Callaway said, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. "We need to start tomorrow."

Along with playing below expectations following the high-profile offseason acquisitions of Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, and a handful of others, the Mets have been plagued by drama.

Most recently, Callaway and starting pitcher Jason Vargas were fined for their actions during an altercation with a reporter, and a report surfaced claiming general manager Brodie Van Wagenen had been dictating his manager's in-game decision-making from home.

The team also recently fired pitching coach Dave Eiland in favor of 82-year-old Phil Regan, while $110-million slugger Yoenis Cespedes is out for the entire season after injuring himself at his ranch.