Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

It has taken a while but the New York Mets are finally getting considerable contributions from the heart of their lineup.

While the recent series against the Arizona Diamondbacks was hardly a work of art in terms of perfect execution of the game plan, it featured another two big wins for the injury-ravaged Mets who are now 27-21 on the year and lead the NL East.

It was also an important stretch of games for the team’s collection of big-name stars, who are finally starting to show signs of life on a consistent basis and that is only a good thing when it comes to the pennant race.

In the wake of the back-and-forth 7-6 win over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, the heart of this lineup is starting to look in much better shape and it couldn’t come at a better time given that the Mets will now open a four-game series in San Diego against the Padres today.

Dating back to the 13-2 blowout of the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field on Saturday, the core of a healthy Mets lineup has really exploded offensively and the recent small sample size is a tantalizing precursor to what could follow if the stars can stay healthy and remain consistent.

These are the stats from the last four games for four of the most lethal bats on this team:

That is pretty impressive and perfect proof of what can happen when the Mets get what they expect from their stars, and the fact that Smith, Lindor and McCann combined for nine extra-base hits in four games is again testament to what we should expect from the core of this lineup when it is firing on all cylinders.

What is more impressive, however, is if you study the damage those four players wreaked in the three-game series against the Diamondbacks, which should encourage you greatly despite the weak opposition it came against.

After all, you can only play what is put out in-front of you.

In the three games combined, Lindor, Alonso, Smith and McCann went 21-for-50 against the Diamondbacks, hitting three home runs and knocking in 13 runs, effectively powering the Mets to two wins out of three.

That is the pure definition of your big hitters putting the team on their back and carrying them to victory.

There are encouraging signs everywhere you look when you really delve into the weeds too, including the fact that Alonso has looked almost unstoppable since coming off the injured list, and Lindor is starting to look like the uber-talented stud the Mets thought they were acquiring back when they pulled the trigger on the blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Indians in the offseason.

Both Alonso and Lindor came up clutch in the series clincher against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, with the former coming up with the go-ahead RBI single to break the tie in the ninth inning with the latter scoring on that play.

Again, there will be those that will be quick to point out that it was only the Diamondbacks, and they do have a point, but, again, it was crucial for the meaty part of that order to start hitting and to start contributing in big ways, and the fact that they were able to feast on weaker opposition should hopefully now be the confidence booster they need to really hit their stride against what will be stiffer opposition in the coming days and weeks.

After all, when at the very peak of their powers, the heart of this lineup is formidable and if those four players can continue to hit like they have over the past few games, then it should keep the New York Mets more than afloat while they wait for other key members of this lineup to return from injury.