The New York Mets have surrendered their hold on first place in the National League East after extending their losing streak to six games, which included back-to-back series sweeps as of Thursday.

Next, the Mets face division rival Philadelphia Phillies, but they’ll do so with a weakened rotation. What was once a team strength has become a vulnerability due to a rash of pitching injuries.

Key starters Kodai Senga and Tylor Megill have landed on the injured list, while Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea are still working toward making their season debuts. Meanwhile, Griffin Canning and Paul Blackburn have started to falter on the mound.

“For months, the Mets benefited from an unusually deep pool of starting pitchers,” wrote Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “Their faith in a group of offseason acquisitions mostly paid off in terms of health — until now.”

That depth is now rapidly vanishing. The Mets are hoping their remaining healthy pitchers regain form, that Montas and Manaea return strong, and that Senga and Megill won’t need extended recovery time.

Still, the team has reportedly made up its mind about seeking pitching help ahead of the trade deadline.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, “The Mets still lead MLB with a 2.95 ERA among starters but are expected to pursue starting pitching at the deadline.”

It’s unclear which pitchers will be available, though Heyman noted that Chris Sale (Braves) and Paul Skenes (Pirates) are not on the market, and Freddy Peralta (Brewers) is unlikely to be moved. However, names like Sandy Alcantara (Marlins) and Adrian Houser (White Sox) could be trade candidates for the right return.

While key questions remain, it’s evident that the Mets are planning to reinforce what used to be one of their deepest areas — before it’s too late.