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Silver Linings in a Struggling New York Mets Offense 

Opening Day was one week ago in Major League Baseball. During this time, the New York Mets have experienced a brawl, ejections, suspensions, multiple postponements, and one win. With postseason aspirations and little margin for error, the Mets need a lot of variables to go their way.

Instead, the young season has provided a cold offense sunken by struggling stars. Brandon Nimmo and Fransico Lindor, hitting first and second in the lineup, have just two base hits combined. The struggles, and subsequent reactions from fans and media, have fostered awful vibes as if the season were already doomed.

However, it’s important to remember that one cold stretch won’t determine a team’s fate. And while watching stars struggle can be demoralizing, there have been multiple silver linings in the Mets offense that should provide hope for the rest of the season.

Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Starling Marte have played incredibly well this year. Even the way they have looked and carried themselves, traits not seen on a stat sheet, have been encouraging. If they can keep this up, the Mets offense would possess dynamic potential.

Each of the trio represents the aforementioned variables that could sway the Mets’ season one way or another. New York would need more similar fate on the pitching side in order to make the playoffs. But for now, Mets stakeholders should feel positive about Thursday’s walk-off win and the lineup’s silver linings.

Three Silver Linings in a Struggling Mets Offense

Francisco Alvarez

After a breakout 2023 campaign, many expected Alvarez to establish himself as one of the brightest stars in the game this year. So far, he’s meeting those high expectations. In 21 plate appearances, Alvarez has eight hits (.400 AVG) with three doubles, one homer, and four RBI.

The 22-year-old has impressed with a shortened, more compact swing. While 2023 was a great rookie season, it was way too inconsistent. An improved swing should allow Alvarez to make more consistent contact without sacrificing much power. His four extra-base hits and solid quality-of-contact metrics indicate that the adjustments are paying off.

Fans and evaluators dream about his potential to develop into a legitimate power threat behind Pete Alonso. Alvarez hit low in the lineup a lot last season and even hit seventh on Opening Day. However, he has quickly risen to the cleanup spot while J.D. Martinez continues ramping up after signing late in spring.

Alvarez represents a silver lining in the Mets offense because he looks like a more well-rounded hitter. If his hot start is not a fluke, Alvarez would provide valuable power to support Alonso that the team has severely lacked. The offensive prowess is even more valuable considering the scarcity of offensive catchers. Alvarez has potential to be New York’s best catcher since Hall of Famer Mike Piazza in the early aughts, and he is currently trending in that direction.

Brett Baty

The 2023 Mets expected Baty to significantly contribute to their World Series aspirations. However, he struggled mightily and helped contribute to one of the most disappointing seasons in MLB history. In 108 games, Baty hit .212/.275/.323 and didn’t do anything well. He was a big reason why the Mets received the worst third base production, per wRC+ and fWAR, in the entire league last year.

To his credit, Baty has looked like a different man this season. Despite a .222 average, Baty is taking great at-bats and has even looked good against southpaws (two hits, one homer, and four RBI in four at-bats).

Baty carried a reputation as a confident hitter who could drive the ball to all fields, although none of that showed up in 2023. Fortunately, metrics like Sweet-Spot, Barrel, Hard-Hit, and Average Exit Velocity rates are among the league leaders in this short season.

Many, including Baty himself, credit much of his struggles to a dip in confidence. However, Baty told Steve Gelbs of SNY that he gained confidence this winter by realizing that every great player struggles. It seems that this strengthened his belief in himself as a big-league player.

This new mindset seems to be paying off so far. Baty has made offensive and defensive plays that have seriously helped the team’s chances of winning. The Mets have one win, but Baty’s contributions must represent a silver lining through the Mets’ early struggles. Baty transforming from an overmatched rookie to a legitimate major league contributor will help take the team to a brand new level.

Starling Marte

Marte’s blend of speed, power, and professional at-bats was a crucial part of a 101-win Mets team in 2022. Unfortunately, the team saw his true value to the lineup while he sat out with an injury that September. The offense did not look the same without him, and it only got worse in 2023. Marte only played in 86 games last year, but was healthy in zero.

A lack of production from a compromised Marte significantly shortened the lineup. The Mets expected the veteran to be fully healthy this season, but that can never be guaranteed from a 35-year-old. Plus, the skill set of a player of Marte’s age typically begins to decline.

Marte’s prime is behind him, and his struggles during winter ball and spring training might have worried some. However, his gliding motions in the outfield and the use of his legs in his swing, evident in his Opening Day homer, indicate his level of health. Even if his preseason stats don’t suggest it, Marte has looked like his old electric self this week.

As for his stats, Marte got off to a hot start this season. Both Marte and the Mets say they expect a rebound this season now that he is fully healthy. Before going hitless in Thursday’s doubleheader, Marte started the season hitting .357/.438/.643 with great walk and strikeout rates.

Marte will likely shine brighter once the entire offensive unit starts to click. While he has the ability to spark an offense and make things happen, the bats behind him must hit and drive him in to see just how impactful Marte can be.

 

Photo Credit: © Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Giglio

Ryan Giglio

A passionate sports fan all his life, he became a writer for Last Word on Sports in 2023. His favorite teams are the Mets, Nets, NY Giants and Jets.

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