Mets Player Performance Meter: Position players, July 1-7

With two off days this week, the Mets only played five games and went 2-3 over that span, splitting a series with the Yankees and losing two of three to the Phillies. The final week before the All-Star break was a prototypical 2019 Mets week where they eked out a couple of nice wins, but overall showed that they are, in essence, simply a mediocre baseball team. With Michael Conforto still mired in a slump and Robinson Cano showing some signs of life, but still not hitting for power, the Mets offense continues to be very top-heavy, reliant on Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil for the majority of its production.

Both Mets All-Star position players had great weeks again. It will not surprise you to learn that Jeff McNeil led the team in hits again this week with eight. Seven of those eight hits were singles, but he also hit a solo homer in Wednesday’s loss against the Yankees—the only run the Mets scored that day. He posted a 132 wRC+ for the week, driving in two runs in total for the week and scoring four runs.

Among players with more than five plate appearances for the week, Pete Alonso is once again the wRC+ leader with a 188. Of his six hits this week, four were for extra bases, including two home runs, which got the rookie to 30 homers before the All-Star break. He also leads the team in RBIs this week with four. He also drew a walk and scored three runs this week.

Despite McNeil’s impressive team-leading batting average of .364 for the week, Wilson Ramos and Amed Rosario hold the first and second positions on the on-base percentage leaderboard this week. Ramos led the team in walks this week with three. In addition, he collected four hits—all singles—in his sixteen plate appearances this week. That’s good for a 120 wRC+ for the week.

After a few down weeks at the plate, Amed Rosario had a strong week with the bat this week. His six hits for the week are second only to McNeil for the team lead. He put up a 133 wRC+ for the week. He walked once and scored two runs.

Despite Ramos getting on base with regularity this week, it was Tomas Nido that came through with the big hit in the Mets’ only win against the Phillies this week. After tempers flared when Jake Arrieta hit two straight Mets batters, Nido hit one in the gap for a bases-clearing double that was ultimately the difference in the game. That alone was enough for him to be second on the team in RBIs for the week with three. It was one of two hits in four plate appearances for Nido for the week, whose batting average is now up over .250 for the season.

Adeiny Hechavarria also performed well in limited playing time this week. He hit a home run in yesterday’s game, but more importantly he made two key plays in the field as a late-inning defensive replacement in the Mets’ win over the Phillies on Saturday. The home run was his only hit in three total plate appearances for the week.

Both Juan Lagares and the newly called up Luis Guillorme went hitless in their three plate appearances each this week. Lagares did score a run as a pinch runner in Tuesday’s win over the Yankees, however.

It was Michael Conforto that got the key hit in Tuesday’s win, smacking a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning off Zack Britton after the Yankees turned to him for the platoon matchup when Adam Ottavino was unable to get the job done. However, Conforto’s overall numbers for the week are poor, as he continues to be mired in a slump spanning multiple weeks. He had three hits and two walks in eighteen plate appearances, good for a 63 wRC+ for the week.

J.D. Davis was also instrumental in Tuesday’s win over the Yankees, getting a rare start against the lefty Paxton and making the most of the opportunity. He hit a solo homer off Paxton, which is the only run the Mets scored against him. He also doubled home Pete Alonso in the eighth to tie the game. Those were his only two hits in seven plate appearances this week, but they were consequential ones.

Robinson Cano showed some signs of breaking out his week, collecting five hits in his 20 plate appearances. However, he is still not hitting for power. All five hits were singles and none of them drove in any runs. Cano also walked once and scored a run this week. He posted a 42 wRC+ for the week.

Todd Frazier had a down week at the plate this week, putting up a 56 wRC+. He had three hits—all singles—and one walk in eighteen plate appearances. He didn’t drive in any runs and scored a run.

The biggest change (not in a good way) from last week to this week belongs to Dominic Smith, who holds an unsightly -8 wRC+ for the week over sixteen plate appearances. He collected just two hits and scored one run this week.