It would be so much easier to explain if most of their starting rotation was on the injured list or the Mets had played a significant portion of the season waiting for their top offensive players to get healthy.

But the Mets are scheduled to reach the season’s midway point on Thursday as a $364 million bust for reasons greater than absent players.

Absentee performance has been a much larger issue, as owner Steve Cohen’s highest-paid and minimum earners alike have disappointed and put this team — on pace to win 74 games as Monday began — in position to displace the 1992 “Worst Team Money Could Buy” Mets as the flashiest flop in franchise history.

How have the Mets gotten to this point?

Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer haven’t exactly reminded anyone of the 1-2 combos the Mets had atop their rotation for most of the last decade. Even with Jacob deGrom injured for significant stretches the previous two seasons, the Mets had starters such as Chris Bassitt, Taijuan Walker and Marcus Stroman who moved up in the pecking order and thrived.

Verlander, at 40, likely wasn’t going to replicate his American League Cy Young award season from last year, but who could have predicted the 4.50 ERA over his first nine starts with the Mets that he brought into Monday night? Verlander missed the first five weeks of the season rehabbing from a teres major strain. He’s largely been feast or famine for the team, dominating in his starts or cratering after a few innings.

Scherzer’s last two starts have been encouraging, but the Mets co-ace had a hellacious stretch that included a 10-game suspension for violating MLB’s foreign substance rules. Scherzer has also battled through back discomfort for much of this first half. Scherzer, who turns 39 next month, owns a 3.95 ERA in his first 13 starts this season. That number has dropped by a half-run over his last two starts.

Jeff McNeil and Starling Marte were integral pieces to last year’s 101-win team, but both have struggled this season. Francisco Lindor slumped for over a month and just in the last week has begun showing signs that he can help carry the lineup. Daniel Vogelbach has also brought little thump to the DH spot.

McNeil and Marte entered the day with an OPS+ of 88 and 82, respectively. The average for an MLB player is 100, meaning McNeil has produced 12 percent lower than MLB average and Marte at 18 percent lower. Vogelbach received a week-long mental break this month in an attempt to get his swing on track and showed early results, with two homers in his first three starts following his return, but still owns an underwhelming .345 slugging percentage. Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo have been the Mets’ most consistent offensive players this season, but they need a supporting cast.

Edwin Diaz tore his right patellar tendon during a victory celebration for Team Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic, changing the dynamic of a bullpen that might have been a proven arm short even before Diaz’s injury. In addition to shortening the bullpen, Diaz’s absence (he underwent surgery that will likely keep him sidelined for the season) has removed any psychological edge the Mets might have had in the late innings. Diaz’s intimidating presence last season brought the same kind of aura — especially at Citi Field, with Timmy Trumpet’s “Narco” blaring upon the right-hander’s entrance — as Mariano Rivera had during his Hall of Fame career with the Yankees.

David Peterson and Tylor Megill were important contributors last season that helped the Mets survive injuries within the rotation. But Peterson — who is scheduled to return from Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday to face the Brewers — bombed earlier this season after he was given first dibs on filling a rotation spot until Jose Quintana returns from surgery. Megill was marginally better than Peterson, but his control issues ultimately got him demoted last week. Joey Lucchesi was given a chance and didn’t stick. The cupboard is bare at Syracuse.

The Mets excelled last season winning the rubber game of series, but this year have lost their last seven. Two of the last three came in disheartening fashion: the Mets rallied from an early hole to tie the Cardinals on Father’s Day before Adam Ottavino allowed a go-ahead homer to Nolan Arenado in the ninth inning. And on Sunday, the Mets were in position to win their first series since June 1 until an eighth-inning bullpen implosion and Brett Baty throwing error helped the Phillies score four runs to secure the victory.