New York Mets infielder Jeff McNeil can be a difference-maker offensively when he’s on. He was trending up in the second half until a fractured wrist forced him out on September 6, after being hit by a pitch. Initially, he was considered out for the season but made a miraculous recovery and was added to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) roster.
Could the Mets work Jeff McNeil back into the lineup?
Even though he is part of the roster, he has been limited to just one pinch-hit appearance in the series and won’t start on Wednesday despite how much the Mets need him to, according to SNY.
Andy Martino of SNY had speculated that the Mets could potentially try to work McNeil back into the lineup on Wednesday, but it won’t be the case. The team desperately wants him to be ready to start because Jose Iglesias has struggled mightily as the everyday second baseman.
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The Mets desperately need McNeil back to replace Iglesias
Iglesias had a fine regular season (.830 OPS), but is hitting just .222/.263/.222 in October. The only concern about McNeil at this point is the fact that it’s a wrist injury that could potentially affect his hitting, but given Iglesias’s struggles, the team will welcome McNeil into the lineup with open arms when he is ready.
McNeil’s overall body of work in the regular season wasn’t the best, as he finished with a rather disappointing .692 OPS in 129 games. He was truly rounding into form when he got hurt, though, as he posted a .923 OPS in the second half as opposed to a .591 mark before the All-Star Game.
The hope is that McNeil can be ready to start games this week at some point. The Mets could certainly use his offensive ability: even if he is at 85 percent, he is a superior hitter to Iglesias regular season notwithstanding.
