NY Mets report card grades for the first month of the season

One month into the 2020 season, it’s time to give some grades to the New York Mets.

2020 has been a strange year for everyone, and that includes the New York Mets. There have been many highs and lows in this shortened 60 game season.

One month has gone by in this season and the Mets currently sit at a record of 12-14 and are watching everyone else play as they deal with a player and a coach having Coronavirus. While the 12-14 record could be and should be better, the Mets are right in the middle of the playoff race due to the expanded playoffs.

There have been many surprises and disappointments on this team. The rotation has been bad, the lineup has underwhelmed, but the bullpen has not been awful. Let’s look at the grades for the first month of this strange season.

Jacob deGrom

What is there to say about this guy that you don’t already know? The best pitcher in baseball has been lights out in 2020. deGrom is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and most importantly, the Mets are 4-1 in his starts. In a short season like this, the Mets must win pretty much every one of his starts. He somehow has increased his velocity and is hitting 100 mph on his fastball consistently. deGrom was dealing with a neck injury and missed a start but is now back and better than ever.

Grade: A+

Luis Guillorme

Easily the biggest surprise of this team. Guillorme was a no- factor when everyone was healthy, but guys like Jeff McNeil, Robinson Cano, and Amed Rosario all have dealt with injury and Guillorme has stepped in and done a wonderful job. In his 28 at-bats he has 13 hits and has played an outstanding second base. Guillorme is carving out a role for a spot on the 2021 team.

Grade: A+

Dominic Smith

Smith is another guy who didn’t really have a role to begin the year but has stepped up since being inserted as an everyday player. Following the departure of Yoenis Cespedes, Dom has started 18 of the Mets 26 games and leads the team in doubles, home runs, and RBI. For a team that struggles to get the big hit, Smith has been one of the few that has come through in the clutch.

Grade: A+

Andres Gimenez

Mets fans have quickly fallen in love with the 21-year-old rookie. Gimenez has been a surprise with the bat and has been just as advertised in the field. When McNeil, Rosario, and Cano were hurt, Gimenez stepped in with Guillorme and formed a dynamic double-play combination. He was a sparkplug the Mets needed to stay afloat. Gimenez is tied for the major league lead with six stolen bases and has been a nice change of pace for a team that struggles defensively, and doesn’t steal many bases.

Grade: A

Tomas Nido

Another huge surprise has been the play of the Mets backup catcher, Tomas Nido. He has gotten at least one hit in six of the seven games he has started. While Wilson Ramos has struggled, Nido has really improved his offensive game. The defensive-minded catcher even had a multi-home run and six RBI game in a win against the Nationals. Ramos’ struggles might force the Mets to play Tomas Nido more, and I’m all for it.

Grade: A

Michael Conforto

The Mets’ most consistent hitter has started all 26 games the Mets have played and has been outstanding so far. He’s hitting .316 and is hitting well against righties and lefties. Three of his four home runs have been off of southpaws, which is very different from his past. This all-around production from Conforto has been what Mets fans have been waiting for. He has the biggest hit of the season thus far for the Mets and has been the most consistent Met overall.

Grade: A

Robinson Cano

He will always be known as the guy who was a part of the Jarred Kelenic trade. 2019 was a disappointment, but so far in 2020 Cano has been outstanding. When healthy, Cano has been the best hitter in this Mets lineup. In 17 games he has hit .373 with 4 home runs. After getting off to a slow start Cano got red hot, then got hurt, and since he came back he has continued to rake. This kind of production from Cano can help the Mets fans ease the pain of losing a future star.

Grade: A

David Peterson

Going into the 2020 season, Peterson was not expected to be on the roster. But after the Syndergaard and Stroman injuries, Peterson was inserted into the rotation and stepped up. He’s been the second-best starter the Mets have had this year as he is 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA. One of the more pleasant surprises thus far.

Grade: A

Chasen Shreve

Shreve was signed to a minor league deal this offseason and earned his way onto this Mets roster by pitching very well in the spring and summer camp. Since the season started, he’s been phenomenal. He’s given the Mets length when they have needed it. He’s striking out a career-best 13.1 batters per nine innings and with the three-batter minimum rule in place, and Shreve having to face lefties and righties, he’s flourished. He’s been a dependable middle relief arm for Luis Rojas to go to.

Grade: A

Jared Hughes

A late signing, Hughes missed the beginning of the season battling Coronavirus. Since getting healthy, Hughes has allowed just 2 runs in 10 innings out of the bullpen and has been another dependable arm for Rojas to go to. Hughes is pitching like he did years ago in Pittsburgh and if he keeps this up, that will be huge for this Mets bullpen.

Grade: A

Brandon Nimmo

Nimmo has done exactly what the Mets ask of him as their leadoff hitter. All this man does is get on base. Nimmo currently has a .430 OBP and has done a great job setting the table for the Mets boppers to try and bring him in. As the Mets everyday center fielder he has struggled a bit in the field but has been better since he started playing deeper. Overall. Nimmo has been extremely consistent and has gotten on base in every game but one. Exactly what you want out of your leadoff hitter.

Grade: A-

J.D. Davis

J.D. has been one of the consistent bats in the Mets lineup. Davis has a .284/.410/.457 slash line and has been hitting third consistently for the last couple of weeks. Since moving from left field to third base his defense has improved drastically as well. That will be his position for this year and hopefully the future.

Grade: B+

Seth Lugo

The best arm in the Mets bullpen hasn’t been quite as untouchable as he was last season. Lugo has given up two game-winning hits so far, but other than that, has pitched well. Lugo has a 2.61 ERA and 3 saves so far. Solid production. Because of all of the injuries in the starting rotation, Lugo is going to get his shot in the rotation once the Mets can resume play, and for the rest of this season.

Grade: B

Edwin Diaz

Like Cano, Diaz will forever be known as the guy who was traded for Jarred Kelenic. 2019 was a disaster for Diaz but he has fared much better in 2020. While he may not be the dominant force he was in Seattle, Diaz has been respectable this year. Yes, control is still a major issue. But as we saw his last time out in Miami, the stuff is there. He just has to control it. If he does, the sky is the limit. Diaz projects to be the closer with Lugo moving to the rotation, and that’s a big test. In his save opportunities this year he has gone 1/3. However, in his other appearances, he’s been close to unhittable. He has 25 strikeouts to just five walks in 10.2 innings and has allowed only one home run. He’s been much better.

Grade: B

Jeff McNeil

I believe the stats don’t do him justice. McNeil has hit a lot of balls hard that have found gloves. Unfortunate, but that’s baseball. They’ll start falling eventually. McNeil has also been dealing with injuries which he is trying to play through. I think he’s been pretty solid overall. The big issue was his play at third base. But since switching positions with J.D. Davis, he’s done very well in left field, including making a highlight real catch to save a couple of runs which gave him the injury he is currently dealing with. I believe once he’s healthy we’ll see the McNeil we all know and love.

Grade: B

Brad Brach

Like Hughes, Brach was out for the first couple of weeks while dealing with the Coronavirus. Since returning to the Mets, he’s done well. He’s pitched four innings and has allowed one run. Brach is a solid middle relief arm and will get more opportunities with Lugo’s move to the rotation.

Grade: B

Drew Smith

Smith was the unfortunate one who got sent down to the alternate site when Hughes and Brach returned when he definitely didn’t deserve it. Smith pitched well in his seven appearances of the 2020 season allowing two runs in six innings. When the Mets bullpen was really struggling at the beginning of the season, Smith was a bright spot. Now that he’s back in the ‘pen, look for him to be used more often. He’s someone who can help the Mets now and in the future.

Grade: B

Justin Wilson

After an outstanding 2019, Wilson has been pretty solid so far this season. He’s the Mets’ best left-handed reliever and has six holds in his 10 appearances. Wilson’s ERA is inflated due to one bad appearance which occurred on his fourth outing in five days. If you take that one appearance out, Wilson has allowed just one run in 7.2 innings. Overall, he’s been pretty solid but that one bad outing hurts him a little.

Grade: B

Franklyn Kilome

Kilome experienced his first taste of the majors this year and has done an admirable job. He’s been up twice to eat innings and did it well. He’s shown good stuff and has nine strikeouts in seven innings. The big issue is control, but that is often an issue with young arms. He looks to be a solid arm for the Mets in the future, and might get more chances in long relief this year. He even got his first major league save last week in Miami.

Grade: C+

Pete Alonso

It’s been a disappointing sophomore season thus far for the Polar Bear. Alonso has a .247/.375/.441 slash line with just five home runs and 13 RBI. He was struggling so much to the point where he is now batting sixth regularly in the Mets lineup. He’s been chasing pitches and has 31 strikeouts in 93 at-bats which means he’s striking out once in every three at-bats. That’s just unacceptable. Lately, Pete has turned it around a bit and has looked better at the plate. Hopefully, he can continue to improve and get back to being that force in the middle of the Mets lineup that he was last year.

Grade: C

Rick Porcello

Porcello’s Mets career could not have started off worse. He allowed 11 runs in his first six innings as a Met. Since then, he’s pitched pretty well. The Mets have been using a defensive lineup when he pitches and that’s helped since he allows a lot of balls to be put in play. However, it costs the Mets on the offensive side of the ball as they’ve scored just six runs in the three starts they’ve used that lineup. He has struggled against the high-powered Phillies and Braves lineup, but pitched well against the Nationals lineup that is towards the bottom of the National League in runs per game. Those starts against the Nationals have saved his season.

Grade: C-

Jeurys Familia

Familia is nowhere near the pitcher he was back in 2015 and 2016. That is clear. After returning to the Mets last year, he had an awful 2019 season. So far this year, he’s been a little better. The control issues are still very much there as he’s walked eight batters in 11.1 innings. Familia hasn’t pitched in many high leverage spots this year but that might change with Lugo’s move to the rotation. Hopefully he can improve on his control issues but that doesn’t appear likely.

Grade: C-

Dellin Betances

I’ve been disappointed with how Betances has performed in his first season in Queens. The stuff just doesn’t look the same as it was years ago with the Yankees. He had one dominant outing in which he struck out the side but if you take that outing out of the equation, he’s only struck out four batters in eight innings. In his career, he has struck out a whopping 14.5 batters per nine innings. He’s only hitting 94-95 miles per hour on his fastball and just isn’t the same guy. The results haven’t been too bad, he’s allowed all six of his runs in two outings. I feel like in both of those outings you could tell he didn’t have control of the strike zone yet Luis Rojas just left him out there anyway. Walks are always an issue with Betances and they have been this year as well as he’s walked five batters in his nine innings of work but he usually offsets that by striking out a ton of guys. Hopefully, he can regain his dominant form and be the reliable set up guy the Mets need him to be.

Grade: C-

Walker Lockett

Lockett made one start in place of an injured Jacob deGrom and took the loss. He wasn’t horrible, allowing five runs in six innings, three of them on one swing of the bat of J.T. Realmuto. At least he gave the Mets a bit of length. If all goes well, Lockett won’t see many more appearances this year and in the future.

Grade: C-

Robert Gsellman

Gsellman missed the first bit of the season due to injury. Because of all of the injuries to the Mets starting pitchers, Gsellman was moved from the bullpen to the rotation after just one appearance this year. He has made two starts and they haven’t gone particularly well. He was not expected to provide length, so the two inning outings don’t worry me, but he’s allowed four runs in his 3.2 innings as a starter. Gsellman is expected to remain in the rotation for the time being so when he gets more stretched out he has to be more effective than he has been.

Grade: D

Amed Rosario

It has been a very disappointing start of the 2020 season for Rosario. At one point he was the top prospect in the Mets system and was considered to be a future star. He has shown flashes, mainly in the second half last season, but has yet to put it all together. So far this year he has a .213/.213/.338 slash line. Yes, the batting average and on-base percentage are the same. That is because he has yet to draw a single walk. This is very alarming, as Rosario has been chasing pitches more than he ever has. When he was swinging the bat well last year in the second half, he was being more selective and swinging at strikes. I still have faith Rosario can get back to that but he has to start showing that he can do it consistently. With guys like Gimenez and Guillorme playing well, in a shortened 60 game season the Mets cannot afford to keep running this guy out there if he struggles like this. Hopefully, he can get it together.

Grade: D

Michael Wacha

Wacha had a very good first start as a Met pitching five innings allowing one run in a win at Fenway. His two starts after that were not good at all. In those starts he has pitched nine innings and has allowed nine runs in two losses. Wacha wasn’t giving the Mets length when he was pitching and is now on the Injured List. Hopefully when he returns he can be closer to what he was in his first start.

Grade: D

Paul Sewald

His Mets career has not been good and his 2020 has been more of the same. He has allowed runs in three of his five outings including allowing six runs in just 0.2 innings against the Nationals his last time out. If the Mets need an innings eater in a blowout loss he can pitch then be he should be nowhere near a close game.

Grade: D

Corey Oswalt

Oswalt has made two appearances so far, one out of the ‘pen and one as a starter. The one out of the pen was awful, as he got beaten up in the embarrassing Sunday night game against the Braves. The game he started was in place of the injured David Peterson and he didn’t do that badly. He allowed two runs in four innings, getting out of a couple of jams. Like Sewald, Oswalt shouldn’t be on this team and is merely a depth guy.

Grade: D

Wilson Ramos

The Mets backstop has been extremely disappointing in every facet of the game in 2020. He has a .211/.278/.296 slash line with just one home run and five RBI. One of, if not the most clutch Met last year has gone just 2/20 with runners in scoring position. Ramos has just four extra-base hits in 71 at-bats and has just been awful at the plate. Now defensively, it’s been even worse. There was the missed tag in Philadelphia that cost the Mets a win. He has also been awful at getting down and blocking pitches in the dirt, often resorting to his backhand. He doesn’t look like he can play the position anymore and may force Tomas Nido to get more reps behind the plate. Hopefully, he can turn it around, but it’s not looking great. He has a team option after this year which the Mets will certainly not pick up so they don’t have to worry about him after this year.

Grade: F

Steven Matz

Easily my most disappointing Met has been Steven Matz. After all of the injuries in the rotation, Matz was bumped up to the number two starter on opening day. On the second game of the year, Matz pitched very well allowing one run in six innings against the Braves. After that, it’s been a disaster. In the 17 innings he’s pitched since that first start he has allowed 22 runs and is currently sitting with an ERA of 9.00. He has had the same issues this year as he did in the past. He’s allowed nine home runs, most in the league. And what’s even more concerning is he’s continuing to let innings spiral out of control. When something doesn’t go his way, he seems to get angry on the mound and just lose everything. Matz has been so bad to the point where he has been removed from the rotation in favor of Seth Lugo. While I don’t think this was the right decision, I certainly understand it. Hopefully Matz can figure it out in the bullpen and give the Mets something productive.

Grade: F

Billy Hamilton

Forget the fact that he is 1/19 at the plate. Hamilton was not acquired to be a big bat. What he was brought in to do, was to be a threat on the base paths and play a great center field. The reason Hamilton will be getting such an awful grade is because of one game in Philadelphia. He ran the Mets out of the eighth inning in a game they would go on to lose, and that was about as mad as I have been this season. He’s played a solid center field but needs to do more, especially since the Mets gave up their 14th ranked prospect to get him.

Grade: F