Reese Kaplan -- Let's Rethink the H part of the Mets DH Role

The Designated Hitter (DH) has been a success in the AL and likely in the NL as well except in Queens.  Yes, the Mets have seen the likes of Darin Ruf, Daniel Vogelbach, J.D. Martinez, Jesse Winker, Starling Marte and others perform well below league average and hardly representative of what that extra bat in the lineup is supposed to provide.

For the Mets, they most often tread the well worn path of less than stellar defensive players on the wrong side of 30 whose reason for being in the league is with a piece of wood in his hands.  This pattern is familiar throughout the 30 major league teams, but is it the right one?

Think long and hard for a moment, but who is the last player in his youth and prime who was handed a DH role to own for the next 6-10 years?  Don’t strain yourself.  It’s like searching for 4-leaf clovers.  They’re out there but you have to search long and hard to find them.

I bring up this topic right now due to the personnel influx the Mets have on their hands and the decision they need to make regarding how to deploy the DH.  Marte is waking up a bit with his bat and his legs are still good but overall he’s not the type of run producer folks envision for DH.  He’s still more typically a leadoff or second place hitter.  Winker is a streaky player with good skills when he’s on but the consistency isn’t there.  Being on the IL for we don’t know how long takes him out of the current equation. 

Then we have the glut of infielders the Mets must juggle to find playing time.  Brett Baty has turned a lot of long term doubters into believers with his defensive and offensive play.  He’s not hitting at All Star level but then only two Mets players have respectable batting averages.

Then we have the polar opposite in Mark Vientos who is turning believers into doubters.  His glove is not quite as bad as folks bemoan it is, but he’ll never have ot make room on his mantle for  a Gold one. His power numbers and batting average are both off, so he’s lost regular playing time to former minor league teammate Brett Baty.  He is also out of options which means you can’t send him down to get his head and body readjusted to his 2024 level of play.

Down in Syracuse is the otherworldly batting exploits of Ronny Mauricio.  He’s showing power.  He’s showing speed.  Unfortunately there’s currently no room at the inn and his fielding makes Vientos look like a solid defender by comparison. 

Going forward, Jeff McNeil has become more of an outfielder than infielder as there isn’t much room for him there now (though Luisangel Acuna’s long slump has opened up second base for McNeil).

The first obvious move the Mets can make on the roster is to swap out Acuna with Mauricio.  This change gives the guy slumping with options the chance to right himself while opening up major league possibilities for the guy who’s blazingly hot.  You could also flip-flop Jared Young with Mauricio.  The problem now is where to play the AAA masher when he arrives..

The team does have the option to start Baty at second base, Vientos at third and Mauricio at DH to get all three of them into the lineup regularly, but it would mean Brandon Nimmo and Tyrone Taylor getting days off to make room for Jeff McNeil to play.  That option wouldn’t even work when Jose Siri proves himself ready to return.

The DH gambit works for now but it puts Starling Marte back on the bench and Jared Young (if Acuna is demoted) either as a lefty half of a DH platoon or simply farmed out as he’s at best a placeholder for Winker.

Of course, the other option as July approaches is to get a bit bolder with the trade route than we’ve seen thus far from David Stearns.  Veterans like Jeff McNeil, Starling Marte and even young veterans like Brett Baty and Mark Vientos can be swapped for other needs.  

Ronny Mauricio needs to show he can hit major league pitching with regular authority before his trade value maximizes, but if he does then why not do the unthinkable and make him a full time DH to play every day?

Don’t get overjoyed by the Rockies series.  The Mets are hitting against guys who would be in AAA for most other teams, hence Colorado’s woeful record.  It was nice to see an 8-2 win this past weekend, but hitting still remains the club’s biggest problem and hopefully Mauricio proves to be another cog in the machine before very much longer.