BY WILL POLADIAN, SPORTS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
Through the ups and downs of years past, the Mets have never been as fun to watch as this season. As of now, the Mets haven’t lost a series yet. There is something this team has that teams of years past haven’t. Even with starting pitcher Jacob deGrom not even playing a single game, they have been dominant on the pitching side.
The additions of starting pitcher Chris Bassitt and starting pitcher Max Scherzer have been major contributors. Both of them stepped into the rotation and provided a spark with their 2.61 ERA as of Wednesday night. Scherzer is leading the team with 42 strikeouts on the season. But leading the pitchers is the rising star starting pitcher Tylor Megill. He leads the team with four wins and a 2.43 ERA. This is the type of start that the Mets needed in the absence of deGrom. Even the bullpen stepped up in wake of last year’s disaster. They have come up when called upon and shut the door on opposing teams.
But enough about the pitching. Let’s turn focus to where the games are truly won, the offensive side. Second baseman Jeff McNeil and first baseman Pete Alonso have come into their own as of late. McNeil leads the team in batting average with an average of .337 with an on base percentage of .394. He also leads the team in hits with 29. Alonso has five home runs on the year while driving in 21 RBIs so far.
The new additions of third baseman Eduardo Escobar, right fielder Starling Marte and left fielder Mark Canha have given the Mets a new look defensively. Last season, this was a very big issue defensively, especially at the hot corner. With Escobar, there is no longer a defensive liability that was caused by third baseman J.D. Davis. He has also helped to produce more on the offensive side bringing a better bat to the plate with his .257 batting average while slugging .407.
With Marte and Canha, it provides more of a sense of security with center fielder Brandon Nimmo rounding out the outfield. Last season, as a fan, it was nerve-wracking to watch a ball get hit into the outfield as whoever played often made bad jumps or overran the ball. Now, with these upgrades, it feels that there is stability since each player can interchange each position on any given night. Each player can also come off the bench on off days and have an immediate impact.
The Mets committed too many errors last season that cost them too many games late in the season. They also blew too many games at the hands of relievers, especially closing pitcher Edwin Diaz. It is great to see him come back into his own and to potential again. But at the end of the season, when one team remains on that stage, it should be the New York Mets.
poladiwj20@bonaventure.edu
