Mets Offense is Looking More Intimidating By the Day

This group is assuredly feeling it as Opening Day nears

Image via New York Mets

The New York Mets have enough to worry about with under two weeks until Opening Day in Washington, DC.

Waiting out injuries in the rotation to Carlos Carrasco (hamstring) and Noah Syndergaard (elbow) and hoping for the best in the bullpen is certainly at the front of the minds of team brass — capable depth has never been so welcome.

But at least there’s one facet of Luis Rojas’ squad that necessitates little to no cause for concern: this explosive offense.

In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Mets’ offense ranked fifth in baseball with 10.0 wins above replacement (FanGraphs) and their 121 wRC+ ranked second in MLB behind the Dodgers (122 wRC+).

Since 2019, New York’s 33.1 fWAR at the plate is good for ninth and their 108 wRC+ ranks fifth. The core hasn’t changed much personnel-wise but all are developing quite swimmingly.

Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Dominic Smith, and J.D. Davis all have settled into their respective roles over the last two seasons, whether that be as place setters or run producers, and the chemistry has proven to be there.

Add perennial All-Star Francisco Lindor to that mix and a solid two-way backstop in James McCann and that’s an incredibly solid one-through-eight.

Toss in solid depth pieces in Luis Guillorme, Kevin Pillar, Albert Almora, and Jonathan Villar, and the Mets have the tools and material to build something incredibly special.

And if what we’ve seen from its group so far this spring is any indicator, 2021 could be a special season, indeed.

Lindor and Conforto, both in the throes of extension negotiations with the Mets front office as we speak, have turned it up as of late, with both homering in Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Nationals in West Palm Beach (Lindor’s third in his last four games).

Conforto’s now 8-for-28 on the spring and Lindor is 10-for-34. Between them and Nimmo (11-for-31), opposing pitchers will assuredly have their hands full at the top of New York’s batting order.

We spoke last week about Alonso’s rededication to plate discipline and pitch recognition this spring and that approach appears to have taken hold.

Pete’s hitting .382/.475/.794 with five doubles and three homers over his first 40 Grapefruit League appearances with exit velocities regularly being clocked over 100 MPH. He’s baaack.

McCann (8-for-26), Pillar (also 8-for-26), Guillorme (6-for-22 with a platinum glove at multiple infield positions), and Almora (6-for-23) are all coming along. And even without Davis or Smith truly raking yet (11-for-50, combined), the bar is still set understandably high for this group.

There may be bouts of underperformance, injury, and inevitable slumps. But, in an ideal scenario, nobody will fall ‘cause everyone will be each other’s crutches.

Case in point: Jeff McNeil is 3-for-29 this spring. Are you concerned? Didn’t think so.

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