On the heels of a players-only meeting they hoped could help stem their rapid descent into the abyss, the Mets instead suffered their 13th loss in the last 16 games.

The Mets were outscored 30-4 in the series. The Pirates, who entered Sunday with the lowest run total in the National League (285), have scored 48 runs in their last seven games and scored at least nine in three straight games for the first time since Aug. 29-31, 2019, at Colorado.

PITTSBURGH — From deciding to meet to dead meat, the Mets’ weekend by the Three Rivers couldn’t have proceeded much worse. Rule No.1 for players-only meetings is generally to hold them a night before your ace is scheduled to pitch. But the Mets barely have five pitchers to fill out a starting rotation these days, never mind an ace.