The New York Mets have gotten off to a good start this season, (just overlook that ugly Milwaukee Brewers series), and many of the players that we have expected to perform are performing to this point. However, there are a few players on the team that we were counting on for major contributions that haven't worked out the way we have thought to this point through the first three weeks.
While there is still plenty of time for these players to turn it around, the Mets are a win-now ballclub and patience will be wearing thin by fans and the front office alike by May as each of these players has potential replacements waiting in the wings. I wanted to evaluate each of these players' performances to this point in the season, and how they have not performed to their capable expectations.
1) NY Mets disappointing player: Eduardo Escobar
While I know many people were down on Eduardo Escobar coming into Opening Day due to Brett Baty's performance during Spring Training, I did not expect Escobar's performance at this point in the season to be as bad as it has been. While Escobar had a red-hot end to the regular season in 2022, that momentum has not carried over, and he is currently sporting a .114 batting average to go along with 1 home run and 6 RBIs in 44 at-bats.
The chants for Brett Baty are only continuing to grow louder at Escobar's expense, and while I don't believe Escobar is in any fashion in danger to lose his roster spot, his days as the Mets starting third baseman may be numbered. Baty is currently putting up otherwordly numbers in AAA and while Esocbar's bat continues to be ice cold, the Mets may have to make a move sooner rather than later to spark the bottom of their lineup.
Escobar is currently ranked at the bottom of the league in terms of average exit velocity, barrel percentage, and hard-hit percentage. It's been an ugly first few weeks, but if Escobar can find a way to turn it around he will become a large part of the Mets' success later on this season as a utility player.