A quick review of how the Mets’ position players fared over the past week.
It was very much a tale of two series this week, as the Mets swept the Phillies to begin the week to finish off a 7-0 homestand. With the vibes sky high, the Mets went to DC and proceeded to get walked off twice in the span of three days. More on the pitching later, but the Mets did hit enough to win at least one of those two games, putting up a crooked number on the Nationals early. Things certainly aren’t all sunshine and rainbows with the bats right now; Juan Soto is still not hitting like he should and Brandon Nimmo still looks lost at the plate. But Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso continue to produce week in and week out, Mark Vientos has spent his second straight week in the green, and Francisco Alvarez and Jeff McNeil both returned from injury this week.
When Jeff McNeil was activated from the injured list, Brett Baty was sent down to Triple-A Syracuse. Though Baty struggled mightily to start the season, the timing is a shame because he had just been heating up. Baty had just one hit this week in his five plate appearances before being demoted, but it was a big one—a 425-foot two-run homer off Zack Wheeler on Wednesday. Since coming off the IL, McNeil has two hits—both singles—in his first seven plate appearances. He has also already played some innings in center field to help make up for the absence of Jose Siri.
Baty’s demotion means that both Luisangel Acuña and José Azócar remain on the roster. In 16 plate appearances this week, Acuña had three hits—all singles—a walk, a run batted in, and a run scored. Azócar has not played much, but he has hit when he has played. He is 2-for-4 this week with a run scored.
Francisco Alvarez was also activated from the injured list this week. To make room for him on the roster, Hayden Senger was sent down to Triple-A. Senger went hitless in three plate appearances this week prior to his demotion, but overall comported himself well in the big leagues, especially as a receiver. Alvarez immediately made an impact upon his return, hitting what turned out to be the game-winning home run against the Nationals on Saturday. It was one of two hits in his first eight plate appearances of the season.
Luis Torrens, who performed very well overall as the starting catcher in Alvarez’s absence, is back in the green as he resumes duty as the backup catcher. Torrens collected four hits this week, with the big one being his two-run single with the bases loaded against the Phillies on Tuesday that provided key insurance in that victory. His four total RBIs this week are just one off the team lead. He collected four hits in all in 12 plate appearances.
Francisco Lindor is the team leader in RBIs this week with five. He is the Mets’ hottest hitter right now, putting up an absurd 247 wRC+ in 27 plate appearances for the week, which also leads the team. He also leads the team in hits (11), runs scored (5), and home runs (2) this week. His two home runs came in one game—Monday’s victory against the Phillies, in which Lindor both led off the scoring and provided the cherry on top. He also collected two hits in Wednesday’s walk-off victory.
Starling Marte was of course the hero on Wednesday, providing the walk-off single that sealed the undefeated homestand. So I can’t in good conscience slap him with a poop emoji, no matter how bad his week has otherwise been. But unfortunately Wednesday’s thrilling walk-off was Marte’s only hit this week in eleven plate appearances. But Marte did walk twice, drive in two runs, and score two runs this week.
Mark Vientos matches Lindor’s five RBIs for the team lead this week and his seven hits this week are second only to Lindor for the team lead in that category. Vientos spends his second straight week in the green after an abysmal start with a 137 wRC+ in 22 plate appearances. Though it was a bloop that that evaded the diving Dylan Crews, Vientos gets credit for a bases-clearing triple against Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan in the eighth inning of Friday’s game that allowed the Mets to briefly take a lead before it all came crashing down in the bottom of the ninth. It was one of two extra base hits for Vientos this week.
Pete Alonso may not have a fireball this week, but he is still one of the Mets’ most productive and consistent hitters. Alonso posted a 149 wRC+ in 27 plate appearances this week. He collected six hits—four singles and two doubles—scored four runs, drove in two runs, and walked a team-leading four times. Alonso reached base three times in the Mets’ 5-1 victory over the Phillies on Tuesday—the only somewhat comfortable game the team played all week.
After a poop emoji last week, Jesse Winker has turned things around this week with a 138 wRC+ in 15 plate appearances. To kick off the week, Winker went 2-for-3 with a home run in Monday’s game. Overall, he amassed four hits, half of which went for extra bases, two runs scored, a run batted in, and a walk.
Unfortunately, Brandon Nimmo remains mired firmly in poop emoji territory with just three singles in 22 plate appearances this week—good for a -22 wRC+ for the week. Nimmo walked once, scored one run, and drove in two runs this week. Despite robbing home runs, he is also making mistakes in the field, like inexplicably throwing to the wrong base. Things are not going well for Nimmo right now and he is a black hole in the lineup at the moment.
Tyrone Taylor is similarly not being very productive right now and is our second poop emoji recipient with a -27 wRC+ in 19 plate appearances this week. Taylor’s struggles are somewhat easier to explain: he is playing almost every day and becoming exposed. Taylor’s defensive contributions cannot be ignored and were on full display in the Phillies series and Jeff McNeil playing some games in center field should mitigate this issue a bit. Taylor got just one hit this week; he also walked twice and scored two runs.
Juan Soto put up a mediocre 81 wRC+ this week in 27 plate appearances. He collected five hits, but just one extra base hit. Soto has been getting his knocks, but not really hitting for much power yet. He is also drawing walks; he matches Pete Alonso with four walks to lead the team for the week. He scored four runs, but did not drive in any runs this week.