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Mets: It is too soon to give up on Amed Rosario altogether

By Mason Smoller

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 27: Amed Rosario #1 of the New York Mets shakes hands with a young fan prior to taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field on July 27, 2019 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 27: Amed Rosario #1 of the New York Mets shakes hands with a young fan prior to taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field on July 27, 2019 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /
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Despite a disappointing performance in 2020, it still remains too early for the New York Mets to give up on former top prospect Amed Rosario

It wasn’t long ago when the New York Mets went 46-26 in the second half of the 2019 season. It may not have resulted in a playoff berth, but their youth movement provided hope for the future. And one of those budding stars was shortstop Amed Rosario.

After hitting .260 before the all-star break, Rosario had a breakout, hitting .319 over the team’s hot streak. Combined with his improvements on defense, he finally looked the part of the top prospect the team thought they were getting.

Until he didn’t.

As he has in the past, Rosario started out slow in 2020, both at the plate and in the field. In the abbreviated season, the Mets tried to wait for him to come around, only to have their hand forced with rookie Andres Gimenez‘s performance in limited playtime. By the end of the season, it had become clear Rosario was becoming an afterthought.

However, that does not mean that the Mets should be giving up on Rosario quite yet.

First things first, the 2020 season was an odd one, where numerous players around the league went through slumps to start the year. Rosario was no different. Rosario hit for a .613 and .518OPS in July and August, before finally hitting stride in September with a .873OPS.

Again, this is not an uncommon trend for Rosario. For his career, he owns a .284 batting average in the first half of the season, compared to a .253 average in the first. Additionally, he has shown to be more aggressive, with 34 of his 50 career stolen bases coming after the all-star break.

Nevertheless, his inconsistent bat and below-average glove from this past season have his trade value at a minimum. Therefore, the Mets should be in no rush to deal the 25-year-old. He is under control until 2024 and offers insurance in case Gimenez is not ready to take on the starting role.

If anything, the Mets should let Rosario embrace the utility role, the same way Dominic Smith did entering 2019. Like Rosario, Smith’s inconsistencies made him a forgotten player as he transitioned to a bench role. From there, Smith became a more consistent batter and eventually became the budding star he is today.

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Between Rosario’s speed and experience, he offers a valuable player off of the bench this season. For all the Mets know, it is this transition to the super-utility player that can be the push Rosario needs. The potential is there. Now can the Mets remain patient to capitalize on it?

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