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Dominic Smith Leads Mets In Key Categories

The Mets have found a way to get playing time for Dominic Smith, and it has paid dividens. Smith leads the Mets with six home runs and 16 RBIs. He’s currently slashing .296/.375/.741, for an OPS of 1.116. Smith has seen time at first base, in left field, and as a designated hitter. Going forward, Luis Rojas will have to continue to be creative so Smith stays in the lineup. Jeff McNeil will return to left field, and the Mets have several DH candidates. Smith is a superior defender to Pete Alonso, so he may see more time at first base with Alonso serving as the DH.

Robinson Cano Stays Hot

The much-maligned Robinson Cano boasts a slash line of .383/.423/.574 with an OPS of .998. Cano has played in 14 of the Mets’ 23 games, having missed time with an abductor strain. The biggest challenge for Cano (and Luis Rojas) will be finding playing time. The emergence of Luis Guillorme and Andres Gimenez may relegate Cano to the DH role. However, as noted above, the Mets have several players suited to that role. The team is better defensively with Gimenez and Guillorme on the field. So, Rojas has some choices to make for the remainder of the 2020 season.

Andres Gimenez Is Rapidly Developing

When Gimenez made the opening day roster, many questioned the logic of having him on the team as a backup. In retrospect, having Gimenez on the roster gave him a chance to accelerate his development against major league competition, rather than playing at the alternate site in the absence of a minor league season.

In 21 games with the Mets, Gimenez has a slash line of .268/.305/.357. He has six stolen bases, and has yet to be caught. Defensively, Gimenez is outstanding. His work at second base and shortstop has produced a DRS of 2. Gimenez has also demonstrated strong baseball instincts, showing a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

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Wilson Ramos Struggling on Both Sides

Ramos is struggling mightily thus far in 2020. His slash line reads .206/.286/.286 for an OPS of .571 with just one home run. Though he has a DRS of 2 in 2020, Ramos has looked slow behind the plate (“the tag” on Roman Quinn and two passed balls so far this season). The Mets have an option on Ramos for 2021, and will likely target acquiring a catcher as a primary off season objective.

The Starting Rotation

Starting pitching has been the hallmark of Mets baseball when they’re playing well. This year, it isn’t and they are not. Going into action on August 16th, Mets starters have a collective 5.52 ERA and a collective FIP of 4.42.

While Jacob deGrom has been typically good (2.45 ERA, 2.46 FIP), the remainder of the starters have struggled. Steven Matz, the de facto number two starter, has an ERA of 9.00, and number three Rick Porcello‘s ERA is 5.76. Robert Gsellman has been pressed into service as a starter after missing a a full year of action. On the bright side, rookie David Peterson is 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA and a 4.01 FIP.

Team Defense

According to Fan Graphs, the Mets rank 28th in the major leagues in overall team defense. Brandon Nimmo has a DRS of -4, Amed Rosario has a DRS of -2, and Robinson Cano has a DRS of -1. Clearly, the Mets have an issue with defense up the middle. They’ve tried to address this by finding time for Gimenez, Billy Hamilton, and Guillorme, especially when Rick Porcello is pitching.

Doing so means sacrificing offense in some cases, especially when Nimmo and his .418 OBP has to sit in favor of Hamilton. Further, Cano is one their most productive hitters this season, and when he’s not on the field, there’s a logjam at DH. The Mets seem to have to trade offense for defense, and this is not optimal for success.