Mets Player Meter: Position players, May 20-26 (2024)

The Mets went 1-5 this week, losing five games in a row before finally salvaging the series finale yesterday in walk-off fashion. The Mets put up a 117 wRC+ as a team this week, which is among the better marks in baseball, but were let down by their bullpen late on multiple occasions. It was a truly ghastly week for the Mets, but for the most part, it wasn’t because they did not hit enough.

Mark Vientos is the standout performer among the position players this week with a blistering 320 wRC+, leading the team by far. Vientos had four hits this week and all four were for extra bases, including two home runs, which represent his two runs batted in for the week. Vientos also walked twice and scored a team-leading four runs this week. He has hit himself into a lot more playing time.

Vientos’ playing time has come at the expense of Brett Baty, who had been mired in a massive slump but is showing some signs of life. Baty had just two hits this week in 13 plate appearances, but one of those was a home run. He also walked twice, good for a 103 wRC+ for the week.

In the Mets’ only win of the week yesterday, there were two heroes in their big ninth inning—Harrison Bader and Omar Narváez. Narváez was otherwise struggling this week; his walk-off yesterday was his only hit of the week and he reached base just one other time in seven plate appearances via a walk. But the hit was a big one—and his first hit at Citi Field—so he gets upgraded to a side arrow for the week. Bader, on the other hand, had an excellent week all around with the bat, putting up a 183 wRC+ in 18 plate appearances. Of his four hits this week, all but one were for extra bases, including his double in the ninth yesterday that tied the game. His four RBIs for the week are tied for the team lead, as are his two stolen bases.

Jeff McNeil is the other Met with four RBIs this week and also racked up the extra base hits; of his five hits, four of them were for extra bases, including two home runs, which is a refreshing change of pace. McNeil also scored four runs this week, posting a 162 wRC+ for the week. McNeil had a big day in Tuesday’s loss, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

Starling Marte rounds out the trio of Mets atop the leaderboard in runs scored. Marte only had three hits, but drove in three runs and went deep twice. His 124 wRC+ for the week is solid and would normally earn him an up arrow, but he cost the Mets defensively on more than one occasion this week. Marte’s right field defense is becoming a liability, which means his grade took a hit this week.

Francisco Lindor led the team in hits this week with eight, putting up a 122 wRC+ for the week. Half of those hits were singles and the other half were doubles, but unfortunately they only produced two runs batted in and one run scored. Lindor also walked once and was caught stealing once.

Brandon Nimmo had five hits this week, but they were all singles—good for an uninspiring 54 wRC+ for the week. Nimmo scored one run and did not drive in any runs this week. Uncharacteristically (derogatory), Nimmo only walked twice this week, but also uncharacteristically (complimentary), he stole two bases.

After his fireball performance from last week, J.D. Martinez has cooled off substantially, putting up a 47 wRC+ this week. He belted his third home run of the season in Friday’s loss, which represents his only run production for the week. He had three other hits and walked once this week.

Pete Alonso is in the green for the second week in a row with a 143 wRC+ in 28 plate appearances this week. He had a big day on Friday, going 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. That extended Alonso’s hitting streak to nine games going back to last week, but he went hitless on Saturday to snap that streak. Overall, Alonso collected six hits, four of which were for extra bases, including two home runs. He walked three times, drove in three runs, and scored two runs.

DJ Stewart improved on his marks from last week, but still isn’t hitting particularly well. He notched just two hits in twelve plate appearances this week—a single and a double—but he did score three runs.

Tomás Nido hit a solo home run—his second home run of the year—in Monday’s loss, which represented the Mets’ only run in that game. It was one of two hits for Nido in 11 plate appearances this week, but his other hit was a run producing knock as well.

Tyrone Taylor went hitless in seven plate appearances this week, reaching base just once via a walk.