Three Mets who have been more fun than expected in 2020

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MIAMI, FLORIDA – AUGUST 19: Robinson Cano #24 of the New York Mets bats during the game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on August 19, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

These three members of the 2020 New York Mets have been much more fun to watch than many of us expected.

Fun and the year 2020 don’t really go together. From the global pandemic to the woes the New York Mets starting rotation has faced this season, it has been an oddly un-fun year.

Not everything is bad. Some members of the Mets have actually made the game fun to watch.

There are certainly some obvious guys who made Mets baseball enjoyable so far this season. Joining them are these three men I didn’t think see coming.

Robinson Cano is becoming the player the Mets wanted

Who else didn’t think Robinson Cano would do much of anything in 2020? Can I get a show of hands?

When the Mets acquired Cano I had high expectations. I didn’t think he would set any records but I figured he might at least hit for a high batting average and supply them with some run-production.

It never happened in 2019. Fortunately, we have seen a much better version of Cano in 2020.

Through his first 65 plate appearances, Cano has slashed .373/.415/.644 with 4 home runs and 13 RBI. It’s an incredible turnaround from the performance we saw in 2019 when he looked nearly finished.

There’s a whole lot of good to say about how well Cano has hit in 2020. It’s one of the most pleasant surprises of all and something I look forward to seeing in a full 162-game schedule next year.

Cano is a little different from the other two players I felt were worthy of making this list. We had seen Cano dominate in the past during his glory days with the New York Yankees. My other two entries are doing it for the first time.

MIAMI, FLORIDA – AUGUST 19: Luis Guillorme #13 of the New York Mets makes the throw to first base during the game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on August 19, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Luis Guillorme can do more than field

Remember when the highlight of Luis Guillorme’s career was catching an errant bat bare-handed during a spring training game? That’s old news now. The slick-fielding infielder is putting up many more highlights and it’s not just for entertainment purposes like when he stepped on the mound in a game earlier this year.

Nope. Guillorme is actually making the Mets fun by playing well. He continues to field and show off his defensive skills. What makes this year more special is how he has hit.

After 33 trips to the plate, Guillorme is slashing .464/.515/.571. It’s hardly enough to trade Amed Rosario, put Guillorme at shortstop every day, and consider retiring his number.

However, with the way Guillorme has consistently hit, it’s getting harder to not put him in the lineup on a more regular basis. Fortunately, it’s exactly what the Mets are doing.

Guillorme is still a light-hitter who will probably never smash a whole lot of home runs in his career. He has just a single dinger in 177 plate appearances in the big leagues. Guillorme is someone who will slap a single or possible bloop one into the corner.

Something about this majestic bearded athlete resonates well with Mets fans. He plays a slightly different style of game than many others. His brand is more small-ball. Remember when we fell in love with Jeff McNeil? It’s happening all over again with Guillorme.

I’m still not sure how Guillorme will fit into the future plans. Regular at-bats will be hard to find and it’s tough to imagine he continues to hit this well.

If he can somehow muster up a .300 batting average in a full year, it’s going to be hard to not play Guillorme regularly. Even as a lesser producer of runs, he saves more than enough with his defense alone.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 13: Tomás Nido #3 of the New York Mets hits a fifth inning grand slam home run against Seth Romero #96 of the Washington Nationals during their game at Citi Field on August 13, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

Tomas Nido has found his swing

Heading into the 2020 season, I thought Tomas Nido might not even make the Mets roster. Silly me! Not only has he made the roster, he’s playing more and more. This isn’t just because Wilson Ramos is playing poorly. Nido is actually hitting and continuing to call a better game behind the plate.

After 26 plate appearances, Nido has a pair of home runs and a slash line of .292/.346/.583. He drove in all of his runs in a single game and popped both of those dingers then, too. Included was a grand slam.

Nido isn’t as exciting as Guillorme. He also is far from playing as often as Cano will. Something about this underdog catcher has me intrigued.

The Mets have a big decision to make regarding their catching situation this winter. They can pick up the third-year option on Wilson Ramos or go in a different direction. Imagine if Nido can actually become a viable starting option or one half of a platoon. It would be an incredible rise from mediocrity.

As an out of options player still trying to find his footing in the big leagues, it’s impressive how far Nido has come in such a short period of time. There’s a certain respect I have for backup catchers. They don’t get the courtesy of hitting often.

So, to see Nido actually explode at the plate in this short sample size, I am impressed.

Next. Top prospects the Mets could trade next

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More than anything, baseball is about being fun. These three Mets have made the game a little more tasteful in 2020—a year when fun wasn’t always easy to find.

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