3 Mets players suddenly playing a lot better in a reduced role

May was a topsy-turvy month for the New York Mets. The soft part of the schedule was hard. The hard part was soft. Now in the rearview, we’re fresh off a month where several of the Mets players have started to thrive in a reduced role.

1) NY Mets left fielder Mark Canha had an awesome Wednesday and much better May

Mark Canha was the star of the show on Wednesday night and the inspiration to take a closer look at May’s numbers. He drove in all 4 runs for the Mets over the Philadelphia Phillies in their victory. He hit .265/.342/.412 in May with a pair of dingers and 7 RBI. He, of course, waited until the final day of the month to drive in more than half of them.

Canha’s playing time hasn’t been drastically reduced compared to some others. He appeared in 23 games. Not all of them were starts and he was occasionally pinch hit for along the way. He played as many games as Daniel Vogelbach—a known part-time player. Vogelbach, for those curious, hit .175/.319/.263 in May. His role has only recently been reduced. Let’s see if it pays off like it has for a player like Canha.

Seeing Canha’s numbers take off is a promising sign and maybe just an indication of letting him sit a little more. He’s still batting only .242/.324/.386 on the season. A little more rest could do him good if that’s what has led him to become a far more productive player.

A large contract, the ability to play multiple positions, and a career of getting on base at a strong clip will keep Canha in New York all season-long. The team may look for upgrades and move him to the bench or simply keep him in a part-time role.