Mets Player Performance Meter: Position players, August 26-September 1

It’s been a rollercoaster ride of a week for the Mets. Just on the cusp of surging toward the second Wild Card slot, the Mets were swept by the Cubs, knocking them backwards in a race where they can ill afford to lose ground. Then, just when things seemed at their bleakest, the Mets took the first two games against another NL Wild Card contender in the Phillies in rather dominant fashion. However, the week ended on a low note, as they dropped the final game of the series. They currently stand four games back of the second Wild Card with the Diamondbacks, Brewers, and Phillies all standing between them and the Cubs.

The standout performers this week from the position player side are Wilson Ramos and Todd Frazier, but for very different reasons. Ramos has been hot for a few weeks now of course and currently holds a 25-game hitting streak, which is baseball’s longest in 2019 and just five games shy of the Mets franchise record. Unsurprisingly, Ramos is the team leader in hits this week with twelve and isn’t even particularly close. He hit .500 for the week with a 210 wRC+, collecting four hits in Saturday’s win. He scored three runs and drove in three runs this week.

Frazier, on the other hand, has looked pretty awful with the bat lately (hence last week’s poop emoji), but had one huge game that propelled him to fireball status this week. One could easily argue that Frazier was the hero of the two games the Mets won this week. On Friday night, he hit a pair of three-run homers to give the Mets a big lead late. Frazier also had three hits and two RBIs on Saturday and made a leaping grab on a line drive with the bases loaded that saved three runs and perhaps the game. Thanks mostly to his big day on Friday, he is the Mets RBI leader this week with eight. He also scored five runs and posted a team-leading 215 wRC+ for the week.

Michael Conforto also had a strong week at the plate this week. He is second only to Ramos for the team lead in hits with nine. Five of those nine hits went for extra bases, good for a blistering 197 wRC+ over 27 plate appearances for the week. His .708 slugging percentage this week is second only to Frazier for the team lead. He also walked three times, scored four runs, and drove in four runs.

Speaking of walks, Pete Alonso also walked three times and we learned on last night’s broadcast that Alonso sees the fewest pitches in the strike zone of any hitter in the major leagues. This isn’t all that surprising; his two home runs this week put him at 43 home runs for the year, which is atop the leaderboard in baseball. His 42nd home run was, of course, a record-setting one and just about the only highlight of the Cubs series. Overall, Alonso posted a 137 wRC+ this week with four runs scored and two RBIs.

After a brief downswing, J.D. Davis is back to performing well at the plate. He put up a 140 wRC+ over 23 plate appearances and blasted three solo homers—his only three RBIs for the week. He had just one other hit—a single—but he also walked three times and is the team leader in runs scored this week with seven.

With Ramos hitting so well, Rene Rivera has not had many opportunities to play since being called up from Triple-A in place of the injured Tomas Nido. Rivera went hitless in two plate appearances this week. Tomas Nido was activated from the concussion injured list yesterday. However, with rosters now expanded, Rivera will likely be remaining with the Mets for the month of September as the third catcher.

Speaking of expanded rosters, Rajai Davis is also remaining with the team, despite the activation of Brandon Nimmo from the 60-day injured list yesterday. Davis had one walk in five plate appearances this week. Nimmo appeared as a pinch hitter in yesterday’s game and drew a walk in a key spot, flashing the familiar discerning eye at the plate that we all know and love. Nimmo should be back in the starting lineup for today’s game.

Nimmo’s return couldn’t come soon enough, as Juan Lagares’ hot streak has faded in a big way. Lagares had been making the most of his playing time, producing at the plate and also looking very good in the field. But he had a brutal week this week, going hitless over sixteen plate appearances. With Nimmo’s return, Lagares will likely be relegated back to a role as a defensive replacement.

Nimmo being back in the lineup may enable Mickey Callaway to drop Amed Rosario down in the order, as he had his second bad offensive week in a row after thriving in the leadoff spot for most of the second half prior to this cold stretch. Rosario posted a 37 wRC+ over 27 plate appearances. He collected a respectable six hits, but did not hit for power, as all six were singles. He walked once, scored two runs, and drove in three.

Luis Guillorme will see his already scant playing time diminish as well, between the return of Jeff McNeil and the impending return of Robison Cano to the lineup. Guillorme drew a walk in three plate appearances this week.

It’s rare to see Jeff McNeil get a down arrow, but he looked pretty lost at the plate this week. He hit .136 for the week, collecting just three hits in 22 plate appearances. That performance has knocked him back a few spots in the race for the batting title. His season average now sits at .323 entering play today, which is behind Anthony Rendon (.337), Bryan Reynolds (.335), and Christian Yelich (.328) among qualified hitters in the National League. One of his three hits was a solo home run, which represents his only run scored for the week. He also drove in two runs.

Robinson Cano’s return to the lineup, which is rumored to be happening tomorrow, will likely have the biggest impact on Joe Panik, who has been playing close to every day. Panik put up a mediocre .200/.273/.300 slash line this week with a 56 wRC+ over 22 plate appearances. He collected four hits, drew two walks, scored two runs, and drove in three this week.