Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil got off to a bit of a slow start this season.
After going hitless following his return from a biceps injury early in spring training, McNeil went just 1-for-15 during New York’s season-opening homestand against the Brewers and Tigers.
While the 2022 batting champ appeared a bit lost at the plate over the first few games, he certainly seems to have found himself during the six-game road trip against the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves.
McNeil reached base in all six games and recorded a hit in five of them, including his first homer of the year, which ended up being the difference in Friday’s series-opening win at Great American Ballpark.
Perhaps the biggest sign he’s trending in the right direction came in Thursday’s commanding win over Atlanta when he finished 2-for-3 with a single, double, two walks, three RBI, and two runs scored.
That marked the 207th multi-hit game of McNeil’s big-league career, which according to Mathew Brownstein of Metsmerized Online ties Lee Mazzilli for the 17th-most in franchise history.
“I feel good at the plate,” McNeil said. “That first week was a little tough for me and I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I went back and watched some video and saw some things I didn’t really like so I made a few minor adjustments.
“I’ve just been working on some small things in the cage and that seems to be clicking. I feel like I’m seeing the ball a lot better and was able to use the whole field and put some good swings on it, so I’m definitely seeing the results.”
While new Mets manager Carlos Mendoza never grew concerned with McNeil’s struggles, he certainly has been encouraged by what he’s seen from the 32-year-old over the past few games.
“He’s a hitter, he’s going to be fine,” the skipper said. “He was able to face a few lefties in this series and he stayed in there and got some knocks which is good to see. He’s a really good hitter and now we’re seeing that guy.”
Getting the slap-hitting lefty back to his All-Star form after a disappointing 2023 showing would be a huge boost for the Mets’ lineup.
