3 NY Mets players who've struggled to start the season and won't recover

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There isn’t a shortage of New York Mets players struggling this year. If the All-Star Game was today, Reed Garrett would be the one representing them.

The offense has been putrid while the pitching has been able to keep them more afloat. Fans remain hopeful for a turnaround from several of the core members. Unfortunately, these three struggling Mets players aren’t going to recover from their slow beginnings.

1) Jeff McNeil

Jeff McNeil is having one of his lousier seasons. A much more unpredictable player than he had been in the past, the 2022 NL batting champion looks uncompetitive in all aspects. His offensive production is down. His defense hasn’t been anything special either. In fact, he rates below average at second base and in the outfield. Lifetime, McNeil has been a well above average left fielder so this is a completely unexpected negative turn.

If we found out McNeil was playing hurt, it wouldn’t be a surprise. He barely played in spring training due to an injury. Through the first month and a half and more, he has remained in the mode of a player trying to figure things out.

We’ve seen McNeil play much better in the past. Why isn’t he going to recover this time?

May has been McNeil’s weakest month in terms of OPS at .702 for his career. However, it’s July where his .268 batting average is at a low. A guy who has hit his best in the first month and last two, there is room for McNeil to boost his numbers before season’s end. Unfortunately, the Romans aren’t about to come back and remove June or July from the calendar. He struggled during those same months last year and he hasn’t shown signs of breaking against tradition this year.

McNeil’s entire game has been a bit rougher with very little power and shaky defense. We’ll consider ourselves fortunate if the end-of-season numbers are anything close to last year—arguably the second worst of his career.

2) Omar Narvaez

No one expected much from Omar Narvaez. The positive spin to put on him coming into this year was that less exposure and some clever planning to have him face only right-handed pitchers could benefit the lefty-swinging veteran. In the absence of Francisco Alvarez, the Mets needed Narvaez to step up. He hasn’t. And frankly, the biggest reason why he won’t turn things around is because the organization will not allow him the opportunity. As soon as Alvarez is cleared to come back, Narvaez should be gone.

The only award Narvaez wins this year is “Most Unplayable on Both Sides of the Baseball.” Tomas Nido shouldn’t be a starting major league catcher and yet his ability to at least battle to hit .200 and throw out runners far exceeds what Narvaez can give the club.

Narvaez is now batting .164/.193/.200 through 58 trips to the plate. Comically, he was awarded his first caught stealing on Sunday despite not touching the ball when Jake Diekman and McNeil did all of the work. Hitless all season at Citi Field, Narvaez won’t even get a chance to turn his season around because the moment Francisco Alvarez is back, the Mets need to DFA him.

It’s unfortunate the Mets gave him the player option for 2024. A puzzling decision at the time when the thought was Alvarez would be ready by now, it should hopefully come to an end once the young stud is back.

3) Brett Baty

Sadly, buying into Brett Baty’s early luck might’ve left us a little broke. Baty was one of the Mets who was hitting in the first couple of weeks. They weren’t hit hard but looping line drives or groundballs that died on the infield grass were welcomed. Saving the year from being a total disaster is the fact that Baty has become a much better fielder. The Mets need him just as much at the plate.

The pressure couldn’t be higher than it is right now. Sharing a roster with Mark Vientos, Baty has to feel his teammate’s breath on the back of the neck. He has picked up a pair of hits since Vientos joined the club last week. The two continue to share third base duties with one replacing the other as needed based on the matchup.

The Miami Marlins weren’t a good enough test for either Baty or Vientos to decide much with their future. Loaded with talented pitchers having bad years, we can’t make much of Jesus Luzardo’s dominance or Braxton Garrett’s struggles.

With Baty, the concerns are accumulative. He has more strikeouts in May already than he had in all of March/April. His only extra-base hits come from the two-home run game versus the Tampa Bay Rays and then the double in the finale versus the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. On the 20th of a month, you shouldn’t be able to specifically recall a middle of the order hitter’s extra-base hits so easily.

The Mets were relying on Baty to give the offense a boost this season. A work in progress whose playing time has already been reduced, this will be yet another year of learning for the young third baseman. How patient will the front office remain?

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