Mets: Three important player attributes that could help win games in 2021

2) Francisco Lindor’s Glove

While Francisco Lindor has been the Mets biggest acquisition since probably Carlos Beltran in terms of talent and star power, I believe one of the most overlooked areas of Lindor’s game is the glove he is bringing with him to Queens. Lindor’s bat, leadership, and swagger are three attributes that are very well talked about among Mets fans, but his glove is going to be game-changing for a team that has struggled mightily over the previous seasons with its defense up the middle.

Lindor is a two-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner (2016, 2019) as well as a Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner in 2016 which is a fan vote for the best overall defensive player in the league. With those awards already in hand, Lindor has proven his defensive pedigree before even stepping foot on the infield dirt of Citi Field.

Looking a bit deeper into Lindor’s defensive greatness that he will be bringing to Queens, according to FanGraphs, since 2015 Lindor is second among shortstops in defensive WAR and third in runs prevented. Furthermore, Lindor also ranks fourth among defensive runs saved, which is an area that the Mets can certainly improve upon this season.

With Lindor’s glove and the amount of range he covers at the shortstop position, the Mets have put themselves in a very good situation defensively not only for this season but also for future seasons to come with Lindor’s recent ten-year extension. Two defensive upgrades in both McCann and Lindor will provide the Mets with a greater opportunity to win some more games in 2021.