Just how hot has Asdrubal Cabrera been since returning from the disabled list on August 19th? He’s raised his batting average 19 points to .274 over just 14 games, if that’s any indication. His triple slash over those games is a ridiculous .435/.471/.913. His OPS during that stretch is 1.384 for goodness’ sake. He’s been a big part of the reason the Mets, so injury-riddled for so long this season, have a 9-5 record since he’s returned to the lineup.
He’s been a blessing to a Mets team that has been absolutely devastated with injuries this year, though he’s certainly not been immune to what ails them. He’s missed time, either on the disabled list or simply as a precaution, because of the balky knee he’s been dealing with since Spring Training. Despite that, he’s in the midst of his best offensive year since 2012 with the Indians. His slash is currently .274/.326/.465 with 19 home runs, his most since 2011. His wRC+ of 113 puts him just about in the “above average” range as far as offense goes, something the Mets would have been more than happy to see when they signed him this past off-season. In fact, his 1.9 fWAR already puts him at close to worth double ($15.5) his salary ($8.2) for 2016.
Part of that has to do with his defense, something fans were concerned with after his signing, which has actually been better than it has been in years. He’s mostly passed the eye test at shortstop, as the booth likes to point out on occasion. The advanced defense metrics also have him as playing his best defense in years, though that’s still essentially below average at the shortstop position.
All of this is to say that Carbrera has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise ugly season for the defending National League champions. That 1.9 fWAR is third on the team as far as position players go, behind only Neil Walker and Yoenis Cespedes. While he’s certainly been as prone to streaks as any other player (his current streak is fueled by a .452 BABIP), he may be one of a very few players the Mets can hang their hats on for the 2017 lineup. While Cespedes and Walker may or may not be here in next season, Cabrera is signed through 2017.
We’ll save the 2017 talk for after the season, but suffice it to say that we very well could be looking at an infield combination of Cabrera and Jose Reyes next season. That might terrify you, and maybe it should, but we’ve been here before. If the Mets sit on their hands in the off-season it may be our reality. Still, we’ve lived through a Wilmer Flores–Daniel Murphy combination just last year and that group went to a World Series. That’s something, right?
If the middle infield next year is Cabrera and Reyes – which one plays SS?
I guess it really doesn’t matter, huh? Though Cabrera was signed to be the starting SS, so probably him.
It’s honestly probably me just chicken little-ing here, though. Do they resign/QO Walker with a bad back? Do they keep Reyes at third and Flores at second? Do they sign/trade for another journeyman for second or third? Maybe one of the kids gets a shot? Guess we’ll see.