Inside The Mets

Mets Shockingly Opt to Sit Struggling Star After Breakthrough Performance

The New York Mets are shockingly sitting one of their struggling All-Stars after he finally had a breakthrough performance on Friday night.

Pat Ragazzo

Jun 28, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 28, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Mets have decided against riding the hot hand.

On Saturday, second baseman Jeff McNeil is surprisingly on the bench for the Mets despite notching a three-hit night, which was highlighted by a three-run home run in New York's 7-2 win over the Houston Astros on Friday.

This was a breakthrough performance for McNeil, who desperately needed it. Entering the game, McNeil was slashing .213/.276/.293, but after collecting three hits he was able to raise his numbers to .221/.283/.312 on the season. He still has a ways to go, but this is a promising sign for the 2022 NL batting champion.

That said, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza explained to reporters that he likes the matchup of right-handed batter Jose Iglesias against Astros lefty Framber Valdez, as opposed to the lefty swinging McNeil. Iglesias has been no slouch since the Mets called him up from Triple-A Syracuse on May 31, producing a .389 average and .880 OPS in 17 games.

Iglesias is also a brand-new pop star sensation after releasing his new hit single "OMG," performing at Citi Field in front of fans following the Mets' win on Friday. The vibes surrounding the Mets are certainly high at the moment between Iglesia's singing career and the famous purple McDonald's mascot Grimace. Since Grimace threw out the first pitch at Citi Field ahead of a Mets' matchup with the Miami Marlins on June 12, New York has gone 12-2.

The Mets are 18-6 in their last 24 games and their offense has been the best in baseball. They went from 11 games under .500 in late-May to 40-39 by June 29. They're right in the thick of the NL Wild Card race, sitting just one game out of the third spot and 1.5 games back of the second position.

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Pat Ragazzo

PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the reporter, publisher, site manager and executive editor for the Mets and Yankees websites on Sports Illustrated. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has been seen on several major TV Network stations including: SNY, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1. And can also frequently be heard on ESPN New York FM 98.7 FM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM as a guest. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @ragazzoreport. Pat also serves as the Mets insider for the "Allow Me 2 Be Frank" podcast with Frank "The Tank" Fleming of Barstool Sports.

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