You can point to a lot of things that have led to the New York Mets‘ disappointing season so far. It isn’t just one aspect, it’s everything. From the starting pitching, the bullpen, the offense, errors, and mistakes to in-game management and the front office. Every part of what makes a team isn’t fully clicking. Maybe the two most disappointing Mets players this year lay in the middle part of the lineup. These two were vital to the teams’ success a season ago when the Mets won 101 games and must step up in the second half of 2023: Jeff McNeil and Starling Marte.
Jeff McNeil and Starling Marte Must Step Up for the Mets
The struggles of McNeil and Marte this year, like for many Mets players, are downright baffling. In McNeil’s case, he was just coming off winning the National League batting title and bouncing back from a tough 2021. In 2022, McNeil compiled a .326 batting average, slugging at .382, with an OPS of .836. McNeil had 174 hits, tied for fifth in the National League. Last year very much paid off for McNeil, earning him a new contract as owner Steve Cohen opened up his wallet for him.
While McNeil won himself a batting title, Marte was a key contributor to the 2022 Mets in his own right. He hit .292, with a .468 slugging percentage and a .814 OPS, his slugging percentage being higher than McNeil’s. Marte cracked 16 home runs and 63 RBI, compiling 136 hits. His value to the team was on display when he missed the last four weeks of the season due to a non-displaced fracture on his middle finger. In his absence, the Mets would lose the NL East title to the Atlanta Braves. Both Marte and McNeil were All-Stars last year, and heading into 2023 they were looking to continue on their strong 2022 campaigns. However, that hasn’t been the case. To everybody’s surprise, they have been weaknesses in the lineup.
Their 2023 Seasons So Far
This year, McNeil and Marte are simply not hitting, each watching as rookie catcher Francisco Alvarez contributes more to the team than they are. McNeil is hitting .253 this season, but that isn’t the most shocking part for a guy who normally hits around .300. His 26 RBI are an incredibly low total, and he isn’t driving in guys in scoring position like he used to. He is slugging a measly .328, 54 points lower than the previous year when he won the batting title. Watching McNeil from spring training to now has been a curious case. He’s swinging at the first pitch on the regular, and his swing looks like he’s trying to golf the ball. McNeil having an unbalanced swing is uncharacteristic. He’s not driving the ball the other way and using the field to his advantage like before.
Meanwhile, Marte has always been a free swinger. He’s been that way his entire career when the Mets signed him to a deal last offseason. The difference however is that he was producing then, but he’s not now. He’s hit just five home runs and driven in 28 runs, just two more RBI than McNeil. He’s hitting .256 and slugging at just .336. Marte has hit into a couple of double plays this year in critical moments. Two such instances were a game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the bottom of the ninth on June 18th to conclude an 8-7 loss and this past Friday night against the San Diego Padres in the top of the ninth.
It's as easy as 1-2-3 😌#BringTheGold pic.twitter.com/b2RI6iHok5
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 8, 2023
The Mets did go on to win this game, but Marte swinging at the first pitch from Padres reliever Nick Martinez, who just walked Pete Alonso and Daniel Vogelbach to load the bases, is frustrating to watch,
What McNeil and Marte Need To Do in the Second Half
So how can McNeil and Marte both fix their struggles and step up for the Mets in the second half? For McNeil, it’s back to basics. It’s more a matter of swinging level and not being overly aggressive. He also needs to stop trying to hit home runs every at-bat, which he tried a lot in 2021, resulting in a bad year. He isn’t in the league of Barry Bonds, Prince Fielder, David Ortiz, or Mo Vaughn in terms of left-handed sluggers. He’s a contact, hit the ball anywhere around the field-type hitter. The Mets need him to find his rhythm again.
Marte, though, might be more complex. Part of his rough season is possibly due to the groin surgery he had this past offseason. Additionally, he suffered a neck injury earlier this season. He may not be all the way back. Regardless, he will live and die being a free swinger. The home runs and RBI must go up and the Mets have to hope he will be healthy enough to produce. It’s really the same goal for both of them, and that’s driving guys in as middle-of-the-order bats. Álvarez, Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, and Brandon Nimmo can’t do it all by themselves. If McNeil and Marte can’t step up, it’ll be tough for the Mets to make a run in the second half of the year.
Photo Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Jeff McNeil, Starling Marte, Francisco Alvarez, Nick Martinez, Pete Alonso, Daniel Vogelbach, Barry Bonds, Prince Fielder, David Ortiz, Mo Vaughn, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo
