MLB analyst’s optimal NY Mets starting lineup shows he didn’t pay attention last year

Like a lot of baseball fans, I grew up considering Harold Reynolds to be one of the top baseball minds. I also had an imaginary friend named John Cracker who’d get the blame for anything bad I’d do. If Reynolds has his own imaginary friend, he might want to blame him for putting together this less than optimal New York Mets starting lineup.

It’s a given the lineup from Opening Day onward will change. Reynolds’ lineup definitely can come to be the most optimal. However, to start the year, it’s severely lacking.

If you didn’t take the time to watch the full video above, here’s what he has:

1) Brandon Nimmo, LF
2) Juan Soto, RF
3) Francisco Lindor, SS
4) Pete Alonso, 1B
5) Mark Vientos, 3B
6) Jeff McNeil, 2B
7) Francisco Alvarez, C
8) Jesse Winker/Starling Marte, DH
9) Jose Siri/Tyrone Taylor, CF

Did Harold Reynolds pay attention to the 2024 Mets?

There should be no question who bats first for the Mets. Even if there doesn’t seem to be a perfect place for Brandon Nimmo and his history of batting first has worked out well, Francisco Lindor literally was the MVP runner-up last year because of the production he had in the number one spot. There’s no debating this. Thinking anything else to start the year just means you’re the kind of person who’d try to reinvent and leave humanity in the Stone Age.

Reynolds’ lineup is based largely on a traditional way of thinking. Juan Soto should hit second behind Lindor and the third spot should go to Pete Alonso or Mark Vientos. Nimmo, although not appearing to be a middle of the order hitter, was one of the team’s best clutch hitters in 2024 and showed that even in a down year he can clear the bases with his bat. In whatever order you’d like them, list those out three through five.

The final major issue with this lineup, as fluid as it’ll be, is having Jeff McNeil in the sixth spot. Fresh from another one of those lousy years where he didn’t hit much at all, Jesse Winker needs to be hitting sixth in this optimal lineup. Although Reynolds wasn’t given a chance to get deep enough into the weeds depending on the handedness of the pitcher, Starling Marte can bat sixth or seventh with Francisco Alvarez in the other spot. It’ll depend on the performance of the players at the time. However, as Winker will only start against right-handed pitchers, it makes no sense to have him buried in the eighth spot in the lineup.

This isn’t the worst proposed lineup, but there are obvious tweaks to make. Most egregious is taking Lindor out of the leadoff spot after all of the success he had there throughout his stay atop the order in 2024. No one, not even Soto, changes this.