Via: @Mets Twitter Account
Since his arrival from the Milwaukee Brewers early last week, outfielder Billy McKinney has been a pleasant surprise for the New York Mets.
Early-on in his Mets tenure, the sweet-swinging left-hander has been showcasing his power. Through his first 13 at-bats with the Mets, McKinney has a 1.055 OPS and three extra-base hits, including home runs in back-to-back games.
McKinney went 1-for-5, but his only hit was a three-run home run in the Mets’ 13-2 win over the Braves on Saturday night. He then launched a solo shot in the top of the eight to give the Mets some insurance en route to their 6-2 win over the Diamondbacks on Monday night.
“It’s kind of a surreal feeling at first, but everyone’s been so welcoming and helping me out throughout this whole process and making everything easier for me. Everyone’s been great just helping me through that process,” McKinney told reporters over the weekend.
Despite Kevin Pillar returning from the injured list and Mason Williams being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday night, Mets manager Luis Rojas indicated that going forward McKinney will be seeing tons of playing time.
“McKinney right now is a guy that’s going to be in the lineup a lot and he’s going to play all three spots in the outfield. He’s even going to play some center. That’s something we’ve talked about that he may get his chance there,” Rojas said.
On the season, McKinney is now hitting .210 with a .673 OPS and five home runs. During the 2019 season with the Blue Jays, McKinney popped 12 homers and 14 doubles over 84 games.
At one point, he was considered a Top-100 prospect in baseball most known for his power and his sweet swing from the left side. While it is still early-on in his Mets career, the 26-year old certainly has shown he has shown he may have some upside left in the tank.
If he can keep this up, McKinney could end up proving to be an excellent addition to this Mets ball club.
“I’m really glad to be here now with a new opportunity.. It seems like it’s a great atmosphere and just a great clubhouse. I’m excited to come here and play and try to do everything I can to help the team win any way, any how,” McKinney said upon his arrival to the team last week.
