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.
2) NY Mets infielder Eduardo Escobar is earning his way back into the starting lineup
Eduardo Escobar is batting .244/.289/.433 this season with 4 home runs and 14 RBI. Yikes! The former starting third baseman for the Mets has been roughed up by pitchers. Fortunately, he had May to earn back some credibility and actually save his job.
This was a very good month for Escobar for a couple of reasons. Reduced playing time doesn’t always result in success for a guy used to starting. Escobar batted .394/.444/.606 in his 16 games. Like Canha, he was often a pinch hitter or pulled for someone else.
Third base has become a lighter platoon position for the Mets with Brett Baty starting anytime they face a righty. Escobar has gotten his chances against lefties. He has shown this should continue.
After such a miserable April, it looked like the Mets wouldn’t have much use for Escobar. If he’s not hitting, what purpose does he serve? He’s not a particularly good defender. Luis Guillorme is a better fit to have on the bench.
With his back against the ropes, Escobar thrived. He has become an ideal bench player who may work his way back into the lineup a little more frequently in June. Baty didn’t have a very good month at all, slashing .207/.286/.356 for the ball club. Some wise lineup cards and in-game management by Buck Showalter can help to get the most out of both the rookie and the veteran.
3) NY Mets outfielder Tommy Pham can play when he doesn’t start too much
Tommy Pham is probably still playing a little too much. It seemed like the Mets were finding excuses to start him in April. In May, Pham logged 18 games and had 44 at-bats. It’s actually significantly more playing time than Escobar when we consider the sample size of opportunities.
Pham, somewhat quietly, posted some decent May totals. He was a .250/.358/.432 hitter. He went yard once and drove in 7. This is about what we’d want from him. He even stole 3 bases which served as a reminder that maybe he can hang around and even be a pinch running option. This can be especially sweet to have if the Mets are carrying three catchers or continue to put their faith in a turnaround by Vogelbach.
The season totals for Pham are still putrid with a .222/.321/.389 slash line staring us in the face. The solution is to not force him into the lineup. Let Escobar get some of those DH at-bats against lefties. Allow Mark Vientos some more chances, too. There is no reason why Pham must start a game.
Still a bit on the “outs” with the fans at the moment, May was progress. What the Mets will need to do in June is for the starters to carry the ball club. Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor drove in a ton of runs this past month and yet they did it with slash lines of .219/.339/.543 and .227/.273/.412. Improvements from them can radically re-shape this ball club.