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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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JUPITER, FL – MARCH 05: Dominic Smith #2 of the New York Mets bats during a Grapefruit League spring training game against the St Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on March 5, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. The game ended in a 7-7 tie. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

New York Mets Designated Hitter Option: Dominic Smith

The New York Mets’ former number two ranked prospect, first baseman Dominic Smith took a massive step forward as a hitter in 2019, however, was overshadowed by the emergence of Pete Alonso, the 2019 Rookie of the Year, who slugged a Mets team record 53 home runs last season.

With Alonso firmly cemented at first base for New York, Smith finds himself a player without a proper position. He has some experience playing the outfield, appearing in 32 games in LF in 2019 but the Mets have several other options there who they may not want to pull out of the line up in favor of Smith.

Options to get Dom in the line up were becoming limited, and it appeared that he would be slated for a bench role going into the season, however, having a Designated Hitter changes all of that.

Smith’s batting average of .282 would be a welcome addition in any lineup, and playing him at DH in the line up means that the Mets would not have to sacrifice defense in the outfield in order to get him more at-bats.

It also means the Mets could potentially flip flop him and Alonso between first base and DH in order to keep Alonso well-rested without completely pulling him out of the lineup or disrupting the batting order.

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