Three Mets Poised for a Big Second Half

As the second half of the season begins with a contentious series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets find themselves sitting in the bottom of the NL East and a whopping 7 games back in the Wild Card race. A lot hasn’t clicked for the Mets in the first half of the season, with a string of injuries to key players, inconsistent performances and mismanaged games. However, when there are bright spots, they shine as bright as the sun on a glistening summer day.

The team had a strong week leading up to the All-Star break and they must bring that energy into the second half of the season if they want to play October ball. While many players are overdue for a hot streak, there are a few key players who are positioned for a huge back half of the season.

FRANCISCO LINDOR

If you look at Francisco Lindor’s first half, you’d think he was having a down year. However, even though he produced a below-average slash line of 239/.320/.478, his numbers barely reflected the damage he did on the field. Of his 81 hits, more than half were for extra bases with 20 of them being doubles, 19 home runs and two triples. He is in the top 10 in RBIs in the National League with 60.

While Lindor’s strikeout rate is the highest of his career so far at 20.9% according to Baseball Reference, his hard-hit rate, exit velocity and line drive percentage rate are all at the highest of his career. These numbers trend closer to his earlier days in Cleveland and are figures numerous expected him to produce when traded to Flushing in early 2021. If he continues to perform at the level he’s been in weeks before the break, his numbers will continue to skyrocket and translate to success on the field and in the second half of the season.

FRANCISCO ÁLVAREZ

Francisco Alvarez has been one of the few bright spots for the Mets during the first half of the season. Called up early in the season when Omar Narváez went down, everyone had lofty expectations for him. In his 66 games with the Mets this season, the young catcher is hitting .238/.295./.514, with 17 home runs, 7 doubles and 35 RBIs. While he got off to a hot start, he cooled off in late May and early June but turned the heat up again come the final weeks of the first half.

While his strikeouts are higher than preferred at 58 compared to 13 walks, it’s a far cry from the rookie we first saw in September last year who swung at every pitch, losing his balance at times. With time, he’s learned plate discipline, which is something that will continue to develop. Key to a second half breakout, he ranks number 20 in all of MLB in OPS with a .809, proving he will be a major driving force behind the Mets’ push for the postseason.

CARLOS CARRASCO

A month ago, I would not have had Carlos Carrasco on this list. Through his first 12 starts, the right-hander has struggled to go late into games, pitching only 61 innings with 43 punchouts, 27 walks, 12 home runs allowed and 35 total runs allowed with a 5.16 ERA. Most of these runs have come in the first inning, a common theme in Carrasco’s tenure with the Mets, which would make one wonder why he’s on this list.

Thanks to an Instagram video posted by Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez, Carrasco reevaluated his slider grip and course corrected. Over the first two months of the season, Carrasco’s ERA hovered around 8.68. In his last three starts, his ERA dropped drastically from 6.34 to 5.16. His change in grip and ability to stay the course and adjust when needed has already paid dividends and looks to do so in the second half of 2023.