1 final NY Mets lineup shuffle to make, but only if they’re bold enough

Carlos Mendoza isn’t shy about bold lineup changes. He masterminded the 2024 switch that put Francisco Lindor in the leadoff spot for the New York Mets. Another recent shuffle had Brandon Nimmo back in the number one spot with a struggling Lindor falling down to two.

Routinely, we’ve been seeing the Mets mix up their “Fab Four” with the occasional sighting of players like Mark Vientos or, when he was healthy, Starling Marte within the band. 

The Mets have done just about every logical move they could short of letting Ringo Starr sing a tune. There is one move left to make. It might be too bold even for Mendoza’s blood.

Could the Mets actually move Juan Soto up to the leadoff spot?

It’s a preference of WFAN host Evan Roberts to have Soto batting first. Idiotic to start the season, things change. Soto’s lack of production with runners in scoring position is too hard to accept. The only thing to do is give him at-bats in other situations more often and see if that gives the team a better overall feel.

Just a .181 batting average with RISP, his nearly .400 OBP overall this season would look great in the leadoff spot and steal away a few of these meager plate appearances where he fails to execute. Obviously, at-bat number one wouldn’t include anyone on base. Coming up after the bottom of the order, there will be plenty more times when Soto doesn’t have the added pressure of any duck on the pond.

The argument against it is pretty easy. With the second most home runs on the team with RISP at 5, he’s still collecting some valuable hits. His 33 RBI in those situations barely trails Lindor and Nimmo who are at 34 and 36 respectively.

A lineup of Soto-Lindor-Alonso-Nimmo has yet to be tried out. Statistically, it’s not too crazy. Your best OBP guys gets his hacks first. The only complaint is based around traditional thinking. Soto isn’t the stereotypical leadoff hitter. Neither is Lindor. Nimmo no longer seems to be either.

The Mets have tirelessly continued with Soto batting second or third all year. Third has delivered better personal results, but how much of that is actually about where he’s hitting? Soto has more things to figure out than how to discover the ice water in his veins with runners in scoring position. The structure of a lineup is sometimes overrated. In this instance, it would at least give the Mets protection against one of their worst traits of one of their best hitters. Far from an easy fix, we’d at least have a chance to see if the train chugs along a little better than it has been for a good month now.