It’s been a challenge for Carlos Mendoza to find playing time for all of his outfielders, one made even more difficult by the fact that many of the contenders are swinging the bat well here recently. In the past two games, the Mets scored 20 runs. Here’s how the club’s outfielders did in this tiny sample:
Harrison Bader: 0-6
Starling Marte: 3-8
Brandon Nimmo: 1-3
Tyrone Taylor: 4-8
Jesse Winker: 0-0
Winker drew the short stick, as the Nationals threw a lefty one day and yesterday, the Mets started Jose Quintana and they like to have Bader play when Quintana pitches for his defense. Nimmo also sat Tuesday versus the lefty and his one hit Wednesday was a home run. After a slow start since being activated from the IL, Marte’s ABs have looked much better the past few games and he’s 6-12 in that span. Mendoza got him into Wednesday’s game as a DH and that’s something that may happen a time or two the rest of the way as well, with J.D. Martinez looking like he’s on his last legs.
Which brings us to Bader and Taylor.
Mendoza has cut down on Bader’s playing time here in the second half but not nearly as much as he should. Since his two-homer game on July 12, the Mets have played 59 games and Bader has made just 35 starts. But the issue is that he’s been just awful at the plate in that span. In his last 138 PA, Bader has a .165/.225/.291 slash line, for a .516 OPS.
Bader had the great fortune of having a six-week hot streak, which has made his overall numbers look somewhat respectable, despite being below average before the streak and dismal after it. During his six-week heater, Bader had an .893 OPS in 99 PA. In his first 181 PA of the year, he had a .664 OPS. The average MLB player has a .712 OPS this season. So, Bader’s been well below that mark for 319 PA.
Why he continues to start at all is baffling. He should be strictly a pinch-runner/defensive replacement.
And it’s been the opposite with Taylor. Like most of the club, Taylor was horrible in the month of May, when he had a .374 OPS in 46 PA. The issue then was that Mendoza was more or less platooning Taylor with DJ Stewart, playing Taylor when the other team started a LHP. And Taylor simply wasn’t hitting lefties at all early in the year.
But since the beginning of June, Taylor has a .787 OPS in 198 PA, with 24 XBH in this span. The problem is that the Mets have played 95 games since June 1 and Taylor has started just 44 of those. Taylor has out-produced Bader in this stretch by 124 points of OPS – even though this contains all of Bader’s hot streak – yet Taylor has 49 fewer PA.
It’s like Mendoza hasn’t gotten the memo that Taylor is the far, far more productive player.
Things can change on a dime and Bader absolutely could get hot in the final 10 games of the year. But, much like Martinez, he simply hasn’t given the Mets any reason to believe that another hot stretch is about to happen. And unlike Martinez, Bader wasn’t any good when healthy in the most-recent past, either. Giving starts to Bader now is the ultimate case of wishful thinking. And it’s hard to stomach that while they’re in a dogfight for a playoff spot.
Taylor’s earned the playing time. And while Bader might be a tad better on defense, there’s simply no way that makes up for the canyon between the two players offensively the past 3.5 months. And Taylor is pretty good defensively, too. It’s not like he’s a disaster out there.
Okay, Mendoza, do the right thing. Bench Bader and play Taylor. It’s been the right call for awhile now and it becomes extra important here with 10 games remaining in the season.
It seems to me like Mendoza has been really consistent abt riding a hot hand when he sees it. And with way Taylor is swinging the bat of late I can’t imagine him not playing. Of course it becomes difficult with needing to get Winker and Marte at bats as well but Marte definitely benefits from some extra rest here and there and Winker can sit against lefties. You re right though Taylor should be starting in CF most of the rest of the way so long as he s hitting with a Winker/Marte/Martinez platoon/rotation at RF/DH.
Seems that riding the hot hand on the surface is always the smart way to go. With 10 games to go in the season, you have to give Mendoza kudos for shuffling the lineup around and getting the most out of his players. Taylor has certainly played well this season and given his career stats of averaging 17 home runs and 61 RBI, and the fact that he fields a strong outfield position, there is really no reason why he shouldn’t supplant Bader in centerfield.
It is also worthy to note that those players who are bench players and not starters are bench players for a reason. And as Brian has often pointed out, there are often six weeks streaks that define how a player is going. With 10 days left to go we need everyone to be on shortened six week hitting explosion. It’s now or never.