One of the goals for New York Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen this offseason was to improve the offense. As we all remember, the Mets offense was horrendous at times last season. In total, they hit just .234, posted a .701 OPS, and averaged just four runs per game.
Van Wagenen added some solid pieces via trade and free agency, and this spring the offense has provided Mets fans with a ton to look forward to in 2019. The story in Sunday afternoon’s 8-4 win over the Washington Nationals was no different.
Against right-hander Joe Ross, the Mets lined up as they have often this spring, stacking their lefties. Brandon Nimmo led off followed by Jeff McNeil, Robinson Cano, Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, and Wilson Ramos.
And as they’ve done multiple times this spring, the sluggers came out swinging early and fed off of each other. Nimmo led off the bottom of the first with a triple to right, he then came in to score on a McNeil ground out to give the Mets the early lead.
After Cano struck out, Alonso continued his stellar spring and hustled his way around the bases as he lined a triple of his own. Conforto then drove him home with a two out base hit, and Ramos followed that up with another two out single.
That was just the beginning, as in total on the day the top six in the order went 7-for-12 with five RBI and three walks. McNeil drove in four of the five runs, Nimmo was on-base three times, and both Conforto and Cano had a pair of hits.
This shouldn’t come as much of a shock, as the top six in today’s lineup has hit a combined .330/.361/.554 with 168 total bases in 303 at-bat’s thus far in camp. Yes it is just Spring Training, but there is no denying the Mets offense is going to take some major steps forward in 2019.
Between the additions of Cano, Ramos, Alonso, and eventually Jed Lowrie behind the on-base machine in Nimmo, to a healthy Conforto, a full year of McNeil, and a much better approach at the plate from confident youngster Amed Rosario, the Mets offense is certainly going to be much improved in 2019.
