Jeff McNeil hasn’t actually been right here earlier than.
Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza stored McNeil out of the beginning lineup once more Tuesday night time for the workforce’s 4-2 loss to the Marlins at Citi Area.
McNeil had briefly returned to the lineup throughout the Mets’ 6-5 win over the Phillies on Sunday in London and went 2-for-4 after sitting the earlier 4 video games.
The Mets had confronted 4 straight lefty starters in these 4 video games that McNeil sat, and he returned towards righty Taijuan Walker on Sunday.
And with a lefty on the mound Tuesday in Jesus Luzardo, McNeil was again on the bench.
Jose Iglesias began at second base as an alternative.
“It’s one thing I’m not likely used to,” McNeil advised The Publish after the sport. “However the workforce has been enjoying properly this final week. Engaged on some issues, had recreation the opposite day, and be again at it tomorrow.”
Mendoza stated it’s not only a lefty-righty platoon, regardless of the way it seems.
“No, not likely,” Mendoza stated earlier than Tuesday’s recreation. “I talked to him, figuring out that we have been going to face two lefties in these first two video games of the sequence. I stated ‘You’re gonna play towards one.’ I obtained Iglesias, who’s enjoying properly towards lefties immediately, after which there’s probability that Jeff performs [Wednesday] towards a lefty.”
McNeil did get an opportunity on Tuesday, although.
Trailing 3-2 within the seventh inning with a runner on first and one out, McNeil pinch hit for Iglesias with Marlins right-hander Anthony Bender on the mound.
However the Marlins subsequently changed Bender with southpaw Andrew Nardi, and McNeil promptly struck out.
Mendoza had beforehand stated throughout that four-game stretch that he was sitting McNeil to “work on some issues,” and later acknowledged that the break was “psychological” as properly.
“Good relationship [with Mendoza],” McNeil stated. “Retains letting me know that we’re gonna want me to be me. Simply making an attempt to get again to that.”
McNeil has gotten off to a brutal begin to the season, hitting simply .231/.298/.322 with a .620 OPS.
He gained the batting title simply two years in the past, when he completed the 2022 season hitting .326/.382/.454 with an .836 OPS.
However he regressed final yr, and has fallen off a cliff this yr.
Iglesias, in the meantime, is hitting .435/.480/.522 with a 1.022 OPS in 25 plate appearances.
He went 1-for-1 with a hit-by-pitch Tuesday.
He’s notably pulling the ball a career-high 40 % of his batted balls, in line with FanGraphs, and a career-low 20 % of batted balls are line drives.
McNeil really has higher splits towards lefties than righties, proudly owning a .265 common towards southpaws in comparison with simply .214 towards righties.
“I’m the sort of participant, even once I gained the batting title, I believe I hit beneath .200 for one month,” McNeil stated. “At any level I can get again to hitting.”
