We should welcome the drastic Mets lineup change under consideration

When the New York Mets open the season on March 28 against the Milwaukee Brewers, the first player in orange and blue swinging a bat may not actually be the most predictable. Brandon Nimmo has spent the last few years as the automatic leadoff hitter for the Mets. Maybe not so much going forward.

Nimmo has made sense in the past as the leadoff hitter because of his elite-level OBP numbers. However, last year it fell to .363 which while still great was the worst of his career aside from the 32-game stint in 2016. Even in 2019 when he batted just .221 he managed to have a .375 OBP.

Along with the drop in percentage of reaching base, Nimmo saw his power numbers surge. Clobbering a career-best 24 home runs while tying his mark from the year prior with 30 doubles, he looks like a much more capable middle-of-the-order bat.

How would the rest of the Mets lineup look like with Brandon Nimmo out of the leadoff spot?

Here’s where the trouble comes in. If the Mets move Nimmo out of the number one spot, how do they replace him and what does the rest of the team look like?

Ideally, Nimmo hits in front of Pete Alonso for an increased number of at-bats with a runner on. Francisco Lindor bats in front of Nimmo to allow him more opportunities to steal a base. As quick as Nimmo can be, he is not a base stealer.

Putting Lindor, Nimmo, and Alonso in the first three spots of the lineup isn’t exactly a winning recipe either. The rest of the lineup is questionable. Jeff McNeil bouncing back and Starling Marte doing some sort of a resurgence can help change this, however, neither have the kind of power numbers you’d want immediately after Alonso. The rise of Francisco Alvarez can potentially provide the Mets with that, but that’s a bit of an uncertainty and doesn’t make up for the fact he’ll sit at least once a week.

Marte can help the most with his bat inserted in the number one spot of the lineup. Place him, Lindor, Nimmo, and Alonso from one through four and the Mets have a potent lineup at the top. Depending on Marte to be both healthy and productive is a big ask. We got neither last season.

A lineup change is something I’ve wanted for a while with the Mets for the simple fact of how blatantly obvious the benefits can be. Last year’s performance out of Nimmo looked more like a number two or three hitter. In a year of daring risks, trying something new with Nimmo is a welcomed sign.

Manager Carlos Mendoza poured some lukewarm water on the idea, but didn't fully dismiss the idea.