The Mets signed John Mayberry in the offseason to a one year, $1.45 million contract mainly because of his success hitting against lefties.
Mayberry is mainly a bench player, but manager Terry Collins has put him in the starting lineup vs opposing lefty pitchers and benches Curtis Granderson or Lucas Duda to get him in the lineup.
Mayberry got off to a good start in his first game as starter, hitting a home run off Braves southpaw Eric Stults but ever since then, it’s been a struggle. Overall, Mayberry is hitting only .103 (3-for-29). He started in Monday’s game vs Cubs lefty John Lester and went 0-4. His is now 0 for his last 19.
Despite his struggles, Collins still has faith in him and will not change his pattern of starting Mayberry vs lefties and benching either Duda or Granderson on those days.
“We’re talking about 27, 28 at-bats,” said Collins. “I’m not sure that’s a good sample just yet.”
Incidentally, Duda is now batting .394 (13-33) against lefty pitchers with a 1.051 OPS, and last night he hit his third home run of the season against southpaw Jon Lester. Mayberry is batting .130 against lefthanded pitching.
