Mets' Jeff McNeil finally debuts — and brings potential Opening Day lineup with him
Mets infielder Jeff McNeil hits during a spring training workout on Feb. 19 in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Jeff McNeil finally played in a spring-training game Tuesday night, and he brought with him a potential preview of the Mets’ Opening Day lineup — at least in personnel, if not the exact order.
Delayed several weeks by left biceps soreness, McNeil batted fourth in his Grapefruit League debut, going 0-for-2 with a walk and playing five innings at second base.
He is far from a traditional cleanup hitter, slapping the ball for a single more often than putting one in the gap or over the wall as an RBI guy. But with the Mets’ personnel, it could make sense. Manager Carlos Mendoza said McNeil “might” end up there during the season, though this time it was mostly so he could get “as many at-bats as possible” before his planned early exit.
“The one thing about McNeil is he provides versatility,” Mendoza said before a 3-1 win over the Cardinals. “I’ve been saying that all along, not only defensively . . . but you can hit him anywhere in the lineup. This is a guy who can hit second, leadoff, third, fourth, seventh. He provides that versatility that I think is important when you are trying to construct the lineup. It’s important and it’s nice to have it.”
McNeil, noting that he has no preferred spot, said: “I’ll do anything. Don’t matter. You just want to see your name in the lineup every day.”
The Mets split their lineup — featuring all of their expected regulars for the first time — against St. Louis into neat, orderly thirds.
Featured at the top were their best three hitters: Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso.
Then came a middle trio of players the Mets need to bounce back or take a step forward this year: McNeil, Starling Marte, Francisco Alvarez.
At the bottom, they had those who appear the least reliable offensively: Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Harrison Bader.
The Mets toyed with the idea of moving Nimmo out of his longtime lineup home, the leadoff spot, but Mendoza has said he probably will stay there, at least to start the season.
That makes the question of who will serve as protection for Alonso, one of the foremost sluggers in baseball, one of the most interesting remaining uncertainties. After an offseason in which the Mets made no major offensive additions, there aren’t any obvious answers — just a bunch of potential answers if this guy shows growth or that guy returns to form.
To Mendoza, it’s not just about who hits behind Alonso.
“The way I see it, it’s who hits in front of him, too,” Mendoza said. “That’s a way to protect him. If you put guys who are going to be on base, you’re going to put on other teams [the decision of] whether they want to pitch to him or not.”
If it is McNeil, he is “absolutely” good with that, he said.
“I’ve batted there before,” he said. “I know I bounced around a lot last year. Wherever they put me, I’m happy.”
In six seasons, McNeil has made six starts in the No. 4 spot. Three came last year, when he was behind Alonso each time, and three came the year before, following Lindor.
McNeil’s first major-league exhibition game was largely unremarkable, which is what the Mets preferred. The highlight: After falling behind 0-and-2 in his first at-bat, he worked an 11-pitch walk against the Cardinals’ Lance Lynn.
Their plan for McNeil calls for a day off Wednesday followed by playing against the Tigers on Thursday. Then they’ll decide whether he continues to play in Grapefruit action or play in minor-league games, where he can rack up more at-bats.
He said there is no difference between having 50 or 20 preseason plate appearances.
“Sometimes fewer at-bats can be beneficial, as well,” McNeil said. “You don’t get those bad thoughts, bad habits. You let your natural ability take over and roll into the season.”
Notes & quotes: Luis Severino tossed five innings (85 pitches) in a minor-league game. His final preseason start is Sunday. “If everything goes well,” he said, “it’ll be my first time in a long time that I’ve been healthy the whole spring training.” The last time, he said: 2018. . . Against the Cardinals, Sean Manaea cruised through five innings (one run) on 69 pitches. He said based on the quality of his pitches “this is the best I’ve ever felt in spring training.” . . . Baty hit his second homer of camp.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
