.218 hitter is sarcastically the most popular NY Mets player right now

New York Mets fans have mastered the art of longing for what’s gone. Tyrone Taylor, once just another glove in the outfield, is suddenly being pined for like an ex you didn’t appreciate until they started dating someone else. His .218 batting average never made him a darling of the lineup card, but after watching the alternatives stumble around, fans are starting to treat Taylor like the one that got away.

It turns out the grass isn’t greener, it’s just patchier. Mets fans spent the weekend watching Cedric Mullins misjudge an inside-the-park home run and Jose Siri turn fly balls into adventures, and now Taylor’s steady defense feels like luxury goods. His bat may have been an exercise in patience, but at least the man caught what he was supposed to catch. Suddenly, .218 looks like prime production.

Outfield blunders have Mets fans nostalgic for .218 hitter Tyrone Taylor

Heading into the trade deadline, Mets fans thought Cedric Mullins would be the offensive upgrade Tyrone Taylor never provided. Over 111 at-bats, he’s hitting just .189 with a .590 OPS, a stark reminder that sometimes a “better bat” comes with unexpected costs. The upgrade label fades quickly when the offense is this barren, and the defense isn’t exactly softening the blow. Taylor’s .218 average didn’t inspire confidence, but at least it came with a glove that didn’t draw groans.

Jose Siri’s return from nearly five months on the sidelines hasn’t done much to lift the picture either. Since rejoining the lineup on September 9, he’s opened 1-for-12 and managed to turn his defense into a storyline of its own. On Friday night, Siri misplayed two balls in the third inning, an inning that instantly reminded fans what “instability in centerfield” really looks like. Say what you will about Taylor’s bat, but his glove rarely required damage control.

Saturday’s game delivered the biggest sting. Mullins misjudged a ball off the outfield wall, letting it roll into no man's land and gifting the opposition an inside-the-park home run. It was the difference in a game the Mets went on to lose in extra innings, and the kind of blunder that sticks with fans longer than any box score line.

During the broadcast, it was mentioned that Taylor is set for one more rehab assignment before rejoining the Mets. The timing couldn’t be more ironic, as fans watching Mullins and Siri stumble their way through September are starting to welcome back a .218 hitter like he’s the cavalry.

Suddenly, the player fans couldn’t wait to replace is the one they can’t stop missing, proof that when things get bad enough, even .218 starts to feel like perfection.