Reese Kaplan -- Is This Offense Ready for October Games?

While the Mets continue to play .500 baseball, let’s take a look at the team as it exists now pre-deadline for July trades taking place. 

Everyone is aware of the offense that has been working most of the the time save for the early part of this Marlins series.  It’s not perfect, of course.  Pete Alonso has looked almost lost when men are on base.  His batting average has dipped below .240 and that’s with a multi hit game in Miami. 

Francisco Alvarez has progressed significantly with his defensive game.  He is has seemingly turned the corner from a diamond in the rough to a genuine precious stone when he’s calling the games behind the plate.  His offense, however, was looking totally lost at the end of the Marlins series with multiple strikeouts and poor swings taken at many pitches. 

Francisco Lindor started off the year looking completely lost.  It was not a mere 2-3 week slump.  It was more like 2+ months.  Now he’s hitting regularly and slowly the batting average is rising.  He appears in the worlds of the award winning Mets broadcasters well on his way to a second straight 30-30 season. 

Mark Vientos kind of had some at-bats recently where he appeared less disciplined than he had been at the top of his hot streak, but it never seems to progress for more than a few ABs in a row and not for long periods of time.  Of course, getting beaned and then missing the Monday game gives him some necessary time to regroup (or in a worst case scenario, to become maladjusted to inside pitches). 

Brandon Nimmo has seemed to cool off quite a bit recently but the overall run production numbers are enviable.  What is a little off is his batting average and some have questioned if the quest for the long ball has had a detrimental effect on his contact hitting. 

Harrison Bader has continued to hit well above his norm with long balls, contact and base running speed.  His defense continues to shine as one of the best in the game.  Most importantly he has stayed healthy.  Many are wondering if maybe he needs to be a part of the new core of players for 2025 and not just a one-and-done scenario. 

Jeff McNeil has been stellar and much more confident looking in the brief period since the All Star break.  He’s still hitting more like a .220 hitter than a .300 hitter, but the three home runs and six RBIs against the Marlins suggests he may have finally taken the concept of hitting the ball hard to heart rather than simply hitting ‘em where they ain’t.

Jose Iglesias continues to demonstrate not only the slick defense for which he is well known but a much more productive bat.  Luis Torrens continues to show why he’s a superior catching backup option to others who have tried and failed in that role.

J.D. Martinez has been better as a mentor for hitters than an All Star himself.  He is another in that one-and-done contract category.  Given his modest $12 million salary on the way towards theoretically possible Cooperstown recognition.   

Unfortunately, that’s where the offense pretty much stops.  Yes, D.J. Stewart got a few hits for the first time in what seems like weeks but that is the exception, not the rule.  Tyrone Taylor has been inconsistent with the bat.  Ben Gamel is on the team mostly because Starling Marte is not. 

The conclusion here is that there is certainly room for improvement from the starting players and a significant need to improve the bench.  Word has filtered out that the Mets are not actively shopping Pete Alonso, so the offensive improvements are likely in the form of polish and not wholesale reconstruction. 

Friday we will examine the pitching under the same lens.