Mets Need More Games Like Tuesday From Jeff McNeil
It goes without saying, but Jeff McNeil has been having a nightmare of a season,. The 2022 major-league batting champion enters Wednesday slashing just .250/.324/.324 and has been unable to get any momentum going. However, Tuesday night was a positive for the Mets’ second baseman.
McNeil not only recorded two hits, his first multi-hit game since July 2, but he managed to collect multiple RBIs, notching run-scoring hits in both the 4th and 6th innings of Tuesday’s wild 11-10 Mets victory over the White Sox.
Jeff McNeil. Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
While the two home runs hit by Francisco Álvarez and the Mets nearly blowing a seven-run lead are the main talking points coming out of Tuesday’s win, McNeil’s multi-hit, multi-RBI game is also worth noting.
If the Mets are going to make one last attempt at turning their season around, they simply need McNeil to be much better than he has been for most of this season. McNeil has been unable to find holes in the defense like he did a season ago, and he’s already stuck out 45 times this year, after having just 61 all of last season. Combine that with the fact that McNeil does not hit for any power, and his spot in the top half of the lineup has been largely a black hole for the Mets’ offense.
Wednesday night’s hits saw McNeil replicate what made him so effective a season ago. His first knock saw him lace a center-cut fastball the other way to bring in Tommy Pham.
The Squirrel drives in another Mets run!pic.twitter.com/xBdwW5Wgcm
— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) July 19, 2023
His second RBI hit came two innings later off of lefty Bryan Shaw and saw him attack the first off-speed pitch to drop a base knock into right field, scoring Pham once again.
McNeil drives in his second run of the night!
pic.twitter.com/k4d6orCTip— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) July 19, 2023
It’s far too early to tell if Tuesday was a sign of a turnaround for McNeil or just a blip in an otherwise forgettable season. But the Mets are desperate for any signs of positive momentum, and Tuesday certainly provided that, at least on the offensive end.
The Mets need baserunners to get on ahead of their power threats in Álvarez, Pete Alonso, and Francisco Lindor, and they also need hitters who can come through with men on base. McNeil has been unable to do either for most of this season, but he does have the pedigree of an All-Star player, and is certainly capable of turning things around. If he can string together a few more games like Tuesday night, it will be a big boost to the Mets’ chances of salvaging their season.
The post Mets Need More Games Like Tuesday From Jeff McNeil first appeared on Metsmerized Online.