The New York Mets saw their disappointing season trudge along with a doubleheader loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jeff McNeil tried to stay positive after the recent losses, but it's clear neither he nor the Mets have been able to find their stride.
New York fell 5-2 in Game 1 before being shutout in Game 2 to lose 3-0. While both still losses in the record books, McNeil still believes the Mets are battling for every inch they can take, via SNY.
“We've got good players in this room. We've lost a lot of close games, every game we play has been close. We haven't been getting blown out. Unfortunately, we're finding ways to lose right now. We have a lot of those games where I feel like we should come out on top. We're not.”
Despite the losses, McNeil still believes in New York. The Mets have a deep hole to climb out of it, but the utility man is holding out hope.
“We're a much better ballclub than what we're playing right now,” McNeil said. “I think we know that and it's tough. We want to go out there and perform and we aren't right now.”
Already 15 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, the Mets will need plenty of players to step up and turn their campaigns around. Against the Dodgers, however, McNeil was nowhere to be found.
Playing second base in both games, McNeil went 0-for-7 over the entire double header. The performance dropped his batting average to .229 on the season. In terms of counting stats, McNeil has added three home runs, 14 RBI and three stolen bases over 53 games.
When McNeil talks about the Mets' struggles, he is surely included himself. New York's demise has been a group effort, with injuries and ineffectiveness leading the way. Jeff McNeil alone can't turn the Mets into playoff contenders. But a return to norm at the dish would have McNeil looking like an everyday starter again and could help his team add a few more Ws in the record books.
Jeff McNeil's rise, fall and potential rise again
Selected by the Mets in the 12th round of the 2013 MLB Draft, it wouldn't be until 2018 that Jeff McNeil would make his MLB debut. But by 2019, he was already an All-Star after hitting .318 with 75 home runs and five stolen bases.
The next two seasons came and went without much fanfare as McNeil held onto his role in the lineup. In 2022 however, McNeil looked like a star. He won his first Silver Slugger and NL batting title while being elected to his second All-Star Game by hitting .326 with nine home runs, 62 RBI and four stolen bases.
While his power numbers haven't reached his 2019 production, McNeil hit .270 with 10 home runs, 55 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 2023. When healthy and hitting, McNeil offers the Mets a consistent bat who can make a difference on the basepaths. With players like Pete Alonso and JD Martinez seemingly behind him, McNeil would be in line to score more runs.
However, due to McNeil's poor 2024 performance, he has been moved down the lineup. Tasked with driving in more runs, his 14 RBI isn't going to impress anyone.
No matter his spot in the lineup, Jeff McNeil is known for putting balls in play. For him to find his stride and get back on track, he must re-find his consistency in the batter's box. It may not save the Mets, but it could keep McNeil in New York much longer.
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