Though it’s come in a small sample-size, New York Mets second baseman Joe Panik has thrived since arriving in Flushing on August 9.
Whether it be via his Gold Glove defense at the keystone position or his 12-for-35 start at the plate in blue and orange, the 28-year-old’s transitioned seamlessly into his new home.
His role seems destined to change once Jeff McNeil (strained left hamstring) and, down the line a bit further, Robinson Cano (torn left hamstring) return from their respective ailments, but, for now, Panik has done all he can to bridge the gap.
Over his first ten games with the Mets (heading into Wednesday; 33 plate appearances), the Hopewell Junction, NY native — and St. John’s alum — put together a .323/.364/.419 slash line with a double, a triple, three RBIs, and nine runs scored.
His .336 weighted on-base average and 111 weighted runs created plus will both summarily suffice in the absence of McNeil and Cano from the Mets’ lineup, but Panik’s peripherals give credence to the notion that he truly is coming out of the season-plus funk he was mired in with the Giants.
Panik’s been taking the ball out to all fields (31% pull rate, identical 34.5% center and opposite-field rates) and his 1.88 groundball-to-fly-ball ratio, 93.1% contact rate, 6.1% strikeout rate, and 3.0% swinging-strike rate rank third, first, first, and first, respectively, among qualified NL second basemen since the trade.
Again, he’s still got quite a way to go before proving beyond a reasonable doubt that a simple change of scenery really can bring a downtrodden, former All-Star back to baseball life. But the beginning of his tenure in Queens has been encouraging, nevertheless.
Panik seems to be adjusting well to his new surroundings, noting he’s been “working on staying short to the ball and compact with my swing” with hitting coaches Chili Davis and Tom Slater, as told to Mike Puma of the New York Post.
“Wow, he has been terrific. I think you have a lot of confidence with him handling the bat,” Mets skipper Mickey Callaway told the Post. “He’s putting together great at-bats, the defense has been solid, and we are getting a lot of production out of him.”
Although San Francisco is enjoying a feel-good season of their own — sending off retiring, future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy with a rose — Panik seems to be thrilled with the situation he’s found himself in with the Mets.
“This is what you want and play for. I have been fortunate enough to have gone through the playoffs […] before. I know I want to be here. This is what you play for — the late-August, September push […].”
It appears Joe Panik’s doing all he rediscover his form as a ballplayer and get the Mets back to the postseason.
His 2-for-4 night — including a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt that led to Amed Rosario scoring the tying run in the ninth — in Wednesday’s win over Cleveland provides ample evidence of the type of addition Panik is to this team.
Moving forward, let’s hope this continues.
