One bad throw. Is that really the root cause of all of this?

One high peg from Pete Alonso to Kodai Senga in recording the second out of the sixth inning of a June 12 game at Citi Field — are we going to look back at that as the trigger of collapse?

Freeze the season at that moment when the Nationals’ C.J. Abrams hit a grounder to Alonso. The Mets were winning 4-0 en route to improving to an MLB-best 45-24. Senga led the majors in ERA at 1.47, and was among the NL Cy Young front-runners 2 ½ months into the season. Overall, the Mets had a 2.83 ERA and a big gap over the second-place Giants (3.17). Their starters were at 2.79, with a nice lead over the second-place Tigers (3.03).

Senga leaped for Alonso’s off-target throw — a problem all year on what should be a routine play. Senga made the catch and beat Abrams to the bag, but he crumbled with what proved to be a right hamstring strain.