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1 area where the Mets have gotten better, 1 where they got worse, 1 that has stayed the same
By Tim Boyle
The Mets DH situation has stayed the same
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Unless the Mets surprise us and actually sign one of the free agent DH options out there—hey, they can trade for a guy too—we’re going to get another year beginning with a cheap platoon in the spot. Do they ever learn?
Since the DH came to the National League permanently in 2021, the Mets have missed the mark. The 2022 season began with a plan to rotate Robinson Cano, J.D. Davis, and Dominic Smith through regularly while giving at-bats to others as needed. None of those three lasted the season. We ended with the notorious Daniel Vogelbach platoon with Darin Ruf. Vogelbach was good enough to survive into the 2023 season with the Mets, but his limitation as only being able to produce against right-handed pitchers and not play defense made him a roster burden from the beginning.
Is the proposed DJ Stewart and Mark Vientos platoon any better? Only because they haven’t exhausted us yet, it may feel so. Remember how when the Mets first added Ruf many cited how excellent he was against left-handed pitchers. A problem with sitting a player often is they can grow cold. Even if they are an automatic out versus some pitchers, too much time away from live action can be detrimental.
The Mets have a chance to change the narrative. DH improvements are available. Fans couldn’t be louder about this obviously flawed plan of going strictly with the B-team at a spot the organization never seems to get right.
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