Mets outfielders are winning the WAR

The 2021 New York Mets did not have a superior outfield when compared to their counterparts. Only four teams had a worse combined WAR than the 3.7 amassed by all Mets outfielders last season.

Realizing this weakness, the club went out and made some major changes. Only Brandon Nimmo returned with the team bringing in Mark Canha and Starling Marte to fill in at the corners. The team has also been cautious about not using J.D. Davis or Dominic Smith in the outfield. Instead, Travis Jankowski and Jeff McNeil are getting the most regular appearances in place of the starters.

So far in 2022, the Mets have one of the best combined WARs in the outfield.

Mets outfielders are winning the WAR

It may not necessarily seem like the Mets outfielders have been exceptional. However, at least in regards to this one statistic, they are. Specifically in left field where they have received a major league best 0.8 WAR, it’s a major upgrade from what we saw last year.

All Mets outfielders have combined to be worth 2.3 WAR this year. This puts them behind only the Los Angeles Angels who have Mike Trout and a guy named Taylor Ward having an MVP-caliber year. Even they are at just 2.6—a number the Mets can most definitely catch.

Along with ranking first in left field, the Mets are second in center field at 1.2. They are a little further down the list in terms of production out of right field with a 0.3 WAR which ranks them in a tie for eighth with several other ball clubs.

Ironically, the position where the Mets have gotten the last production is DH. A team built for a designated hitter (or so we have been telling ourselves for years) comes into action on Wednesday with a -0.5 WAR from them. With no benefit of bettering this number with good defense, it’s a big hole to climb out of. We also all already know why they’re there. Robinson Cano can get some finger-pointing at him but so should Davis and Smith.

WAR is only one measure of how players are performing. Nonetheless, it should feel good to have such a solid outfield crew on both sides of the ball.