Getting shut out twice in three NLCS games usually raises a few red flags, which is why the Mets – and manager Carlos Mendoza in particular – went into crisis mode after Wednesday night's 8-0 loss at Citi Field.

October is not a time for patience. Loyalty can be tested in a short series, especially when elimination is imminent and things are desperate.

Or you play for the Mets, a franchise that doesn't often get to the brink of a World Series.

So it was no surprise that Francisco Alvarez was under the microscope in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday's crucial Game 4, from Mendoza's interrogation to the young catcher himself sitting behind the lectern that afternoon.

The bottom line is that Alvarez not only looked terrible in Wednesday's loss, he also appeared broken. Alvarez fumbled three times (everyone was looking) and also made a throwing error that set up the Dodgers' two unearned runs in the second inning.

Overall, his work this October was also brutal, as Alvarez batted .143 (5-for-35) with no extra-base hits and 13 strikeouts. Naturally, benching him became a topic of conversation, but Mendoza pushed back aggressively.

“This is a guy who can change the outcome of a game with one shot,” Mendoza said. “He just needs to relax here a bit. But we know the potential there offensively. The other thing about Alvy is that he is 22 years old. He has a lot to do, especially when it comes to preparation and game planning.”

All true. And there's something else Mendoza doesn't want to say: Alvarez has a lot of company. He's not the only one responsible for the Mets' futility against a suddenly impenetrable LA pitching staff. Easily the most convenient culprit after a subpar regular season and playoff troubles.

Aside from Francisco Lindor going deep in Game 2 and Mark Vientos following with a grand slam, the Mets have done next to nothing in this NLCS, hitting .189 (18-for-95) with four extra-base hits achieved. That's slightly worse than what they did with runners in scoring position, a robust .211 (4 for 19).

Alvarez didn't help, that's for sure. The bat that flew out of his hands in a batting swing Wednesday night was emblematic of where his head has been this month, and there was little sign of it coming free. And with his major league career spanning a whopping 228 games, Alvarez doesn't have the experience for his teammates to fall back on.

Do you know what might relieve some of this pressure? The other eight guys do damage. Mendoza shuffled some of the lineup on Thursday to accommodate the significant reverse splits of Dodgers starter (and Mets target last winter) Yoshinobu Yamamoto, sticking with JD Martinez as DH, Harrison Bader over Tyrone Taylor inserted in center field and Pete Alonso moved to third, resulting in a stack of he and Mark Vientos, the two right-handed batting hitters.

It's not what anyone would call a radical overhaul, and the only reason for the failed Martinez's return had to do with Yamamoto's much better success against lefties (.193 BA, .526 OPS compared to .263 and .744 on the other side). ). The lightly used Martinez was 4 for 16 (all singles) with six strikeouts heading into Thursday's fourth game, but Mendoza went with the lightning-in-a-bottle strategy.

The same goes for Bader, who has barely been used in these playoffs other than as a late-inning defensive replacement. When Mendoza was asked about the decision, the coach didn't delve very deeply into his explanation, tying it to Bader's three tackles against Yamamoto on April 19 at Dodger Stadium. There are small sample sizes and then there are microscopic bites, and the matchup between Bader and Yamamoto falls into the latter category (although he went 3-for-3 with a double on the day).

Plus, with Bader you never know. Two years ago for the Yankees, Bader appeared to emulate Reggie Jackson, hitting five home runs in 30 at-bats split between the first two rounds of the playoffs. These Mets will take whatever they can get, and perhaps this is the moment a roll of the dice against Bader pays off.

As for the other options, Mendoza was hesitant to swap Iglesias for Jeff McNeil – don't discount the OMG vibes here – and we're not buying a replacement Luis Torrens as a viable replacement for Alvarez's strong potential. Torrens gained notoriety for his talent for gunning down would-be base stealers, but he had no at-bats this postseason and his last hit came on Labor Day before going 0-for-16 since the September 2 win over the Red Sox.

Considering the chemistry between Alvarez and Game 4 starter Jose Quintana (2.87 ERA, .207 opponent batting average), Mendoza's choice doesn't seem quite as controversial. He's had a strong hand so far this season, so it wouldn't be the first time the manager's trust has been rewarded if things break down like this for the Mets.

“If he didn't want me to play today, I kind of understand that because I didn't do well yesterday and the last three or four days,” Alvarez said before Game 4. “But he gives me the confidence. And today is a new day. I can get a different result today and turn everything around.”

The Mets as a whole should think the same thing.

David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a Baseball Hall of Fame voter and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.