Mets' current lineup construction has two key drawbacks

In a season that has been as unpredictable as it has been frustrating, the New York Mets’ offense has been a puzzle piece that simply doesn’t fit where it’s supposed to. A recent piece on SI.com, penned by “mike9,” breaks down exactly why the lineup—despite boasting a handful of big‑name hitters—continues to underdeliver. The analysis zeroes in on two glaring structural weaknesses: a glaring imbalance in on‑base skill across the order and an over‑reliance on a thin group of power hitters that leaves the lineup vulnerable when those batters go off.

1. A Gap‑Hitting Middle That Stalls Run Production

One of the most eye‑catching facts about the Mets’ current batting order is that the “middle” of the lineup is a classic gap‑hitter setup. Luis Rengifo, who usually takes the cleanup spot, is a power bat with a slugging percentage that’s hard to ignore. Yet Rengifo’s on‑base percentage sits at a modest .302, well below the league average of .336. In practice, that means the Mets are often left with a slugger who rarely reaches base when the team needs it most.

Mikey “mike9” points out that the Mets’ 4th spot, typically a place to park a hitter who can sustain a run on a single or a double, has instead been given to Rengifo. The trade‑off is clear: you trade on‑base consistency for power. And when that power doesn’t translate into runs, the lineup stalls.

The league’s best hitters are those who combine on‑base prowess with the ability to hit for power—think of the likes of Aaron Judge or Mookie Betts. The Mets simply don’t have that combination in the middle of their order. Rengifo’s .239 batting average and .302 OBP sit below the league averages of .251 and .337, respectively, and his .579 slugging is only marginally better than the league average of .456. The bottom line is that the Mets are forcing the run through a power bat who rarely gets on base to drive him in.

2. An Over‑Reliance on a Small Group of Power

The Mets’ lineup is built around a cluster of big‑name sluggers, but the numbers paint a worrying picture. Pete Alonso, the 2019 home‑run champion, is the team’s brightest offensive star. But his 2023 numbers tell a story of a player who can hit the ball hard but often leaves the batter’s box. Alonso’s 2023 OBP sits at a paltry .310, and his batting average languishes at .239, far below the league average of .251.

Michael Conforto, another big‑name power hitter, has a similar profile. He posts a .254 average with a .331 OBP and a .516 slugging percentage. While Conforto’s home‑run totals are solid, his on‑base skills are underwhelming. When the Mets rely on a handful of sluggers for run production, the margin for error shrinks dramatically. One or two slugs off the bat and the entire lineup’s output plummets.

The Mets have a few other players who contribute to the power numbers—Trea Turner and Francisco Lindor have both delivered pop at the plate—but those players also bring lower on‑base percentages to the table. Lindor’s .255 average, .307 OBP, and .497 slugging fall short of the league averages for both metrics. Turner, meanwhile, is a speedster whose .240 average and .300 OBP are less than ideal for a leadoff hitter.

Together, these power‑oriented hitters are not enough to sustain a consistent run stream. The Mets’ overall on‑base percentage sits at a league‑worst .308, and the team is currently 27th in the league in that metric. That ranking is a direct reflection of the two key issues the article highlights: the lack of a middle‑order hitter with on‑base prowess and the over‑reliance on a handful of sluggers who are not consistently getting on base.

The Manager’s Dilemma

In the midst of these structural problems, the Mets’ manager has been under a microscope. The piece references a handful of lineup changes that have taken place over the summer, such as a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks that brought pitcher Jack Flaherty but required the Mets to offload a player from the batting order. The move seemed to aim at adding depth to the pitching staff but came at the cost of offensive balance.

The Mets have also experimented with moving Rengifo to a different spot in the order, or occasionally shifting Conforto into a more on‑base‑centric position. But as “mike9” notes, those changes are largely theoretical, as the underlying statistical trends are simply too entrenched to overcome without a major roster overhaul.

A Call for Depth and Balance

The article concludes with a clear recommendation: the Mets need to diversify their lineup. This could mean moving a player with a higher OBP into the cleanup slot—someone who can both get on base and drive in a run. It also means bringing in a more reliable, well‑rounded hitter to fill the leadoff spot. Turner is a prime candidate, but he needs to improve his on‑base numbers. Alternatively, the Mets could look to the trade market for a player who can bring a higher OBP to the middle of the order.

The Mets have already been active in the trade market, reportedly seeking out players who can bring that missing on‑base skill set. The trade with the San Diego Padres that sent pitcher Alex Cora’s right‑handed reliever to the Mets, for example, freed up a roster spot that could have been filled by an offensive upgrade.

Until the Mets address these two structural flaws—by shoring up their middle order with a reliable on‑base hitter and by spreading their power threat across more than just Alonso and Conforto—their offense will likely continue to struggle. “mike9” makes it clear that the line‑up’s failure is not just about a few poor days at the plate, but about a systemic imbalance that has to be remedied at the structural level. The next step for the Mets will be figuring out how to balance that on‑base skill with the power that the franchise currently has and needs.

Read the Full Sports Illustrated Article at:
[ https://www.si.com/mlb/mets/news/mets-current-lineup-construction-has-two-key-drawbacks-mike9 ]

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