Mets News: Three biggest surprises of the 2021 season so far

The Mets have no hesitation to drop a guy in the batting order

The Mets starting lineup isn’t what many of us expected it to be. Despite the winning, they have already shaken things up more than once. Rather than try to let someone figure things out in his designated spot like they seemed to do forever with Robinson Cano in 2019, this Mets management will not waste a moment to “punish” a struggler and “reward” a hot bat.

Michael Conforto has been the guy with the biggest change. Already, he has gone from routinely hitting third to finding himself in the number six spot.

Because the Mets starting lineup is deep, someone with talent is going to hit nearer to the bottom. This isn’t your papa’s starting lineup where the number six through eight hitters are weak. From top to bottom, the Mets have offensive firepower.

Jeff McNeil’s cold spring put him closer to the bottom of the lineup from the start of the season. He’s not hitting at the top of the lineup where he found himself in recent seasons. Brandon Nimmo has locked himself into the leadoff role with Francisco Lindor right behind him. Like Conforto, McNeil has also gotten off to a slower than expected start to the season.

This attention to the lineup is a good thing. A gripe I have had with past Mets teams is how veterans are trotted out every game and in the middle of the order even when they are struggling. This year, they’re looking for solutions in other ways.