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NY Mets: Best designated hitter options for the 2020 season

By James Richards

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 10: Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the New York Mets throws his bat after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 10: Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the New York Mets throws his bat after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 20: Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the New York Mets checks his bat during the team workout at Clover Park on February 20, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

New York Mets Designated Hitter Option: Yoenis Cespedes

The benefits of having the All-Star outfielder serve as the club’s primary designated hitter was already outlined in an article earlier this week, but here’s a quick rundown.

Cespedes has always been a force at the plate when healthy and was a key factor in the Mets quests for the postseason in 2015 and 2016. However, in recent years, injuries have piled up for Cespedes, and after having double heel surgery and suffering a broken ankle during his recovery, Yoenis has not appeared in a Major League game since July of 2018.

Cespedes had been looking to make a comeback with the Mets in the 2020 season, however, after undergoing surgery on both of his ankles and missing a whole year of baseball, his ability to play the field has remained in question.

The adoption of the designated hitter in the NL effectively removes that problem for the Mets and Yoenis Cespedes, as it would lessen his workload and allow him to focus mainly on hitting at the plate and not risking reinjury by playing defense in the outfield.

With a surplus of options to play left field for New York currently on the major league roster, having the potential flexibility to play Yoenis at DH will in all likelihood mitigate injury risk and allow the Mets to get more production out of their two-time Home Run Derby winner.

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