Baseball is all about making changes to stay ahead or catch up with the competition.
Every player and team has to adjust during the season, but some changes stand out more than others. The New York Mets have been a prime example of this as they gear up to face the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS.
The Mets had a rough start, being 11 games below .500 by June, yet they managed to turn things around and make it to the playoffs. This wasn’t just luck; it was about figuring out what worked and what didn’t, then making those necessary adjustments.
Header Text: Key Changes That Saved the Mets’ Season
Let’s dive into four big changes that helped the Mets reach this point in their journey.
1. Manaea’s New Pitching Style
Sean Manaea made a bold move halfway through the season by changing his pitching mechanics after watching Chris Sale. He dropped his arm angle from 5.46 feet in July to 5.08 feet in September and added a crossfire element, throwing towards a catcher behind another bullpen plate.
This risky change paid off for Manaea, improving his performance significantly after July 30:
- Before July 30: ERA of 3.74 with a SO/BB ratio of 2.24
- After July 30: ERA of 3.09 with a SO/BB ratio of 4.61
Fans might think these adjustments were crucial for securing their playoff spot just before game No.161.
2. Vientos Steps Up
Mark Vientos became an unexpected hero for the Mets at third base when Brett Baty didn’t pan out as planned early on in the season.
Vientos took over mid-May and quickly became indispensable, hitting .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs across 111 games while Baty found himself back in Triple-A.
Though his defense needs work—he’s made errors during playoffs—his batting skills are undeniable and will likely keep him around for years despite potential position shifts next year due to free agency moves involving Pete Alonso or J.D Martinez.
3. Lindor Finds His Groove
Francisco Lindor started off slow this year with only five home runs by April but later found his rhythm again thanks largely due correcting some batting habits like hitting between angles more consistently which led him finish strong posting career-high OPS+ score overall!
His comeback fueled MVP talks among fans who once doubted whether he’d regain form anytime soon given earlier struggles seen throughout opening months prior recovery period began taking effect later down line eventually leading toward successful campaign altogether ultimately proving critics wrong along way too perhaps?
4.Peterson Re-Joins Rotation
David Peterson returned late May following hip surgery last fall yet quickly established himself within starting lineup becoming key contributor alongside Sean Manaea Luis Severino Jose Quintana—all receiving over twenty starts each throughout course regular season—but none performed better than Peterson whose impressive stats included holding opponents three runs fewer seventeen times across twenty-one outings total!
Peterson credits improved health plus tweaks arsenal such using sinker primary pitch altering changeup adding extra drop helped achieve success seen today despite beginning year outside rotation initially until injuries opened door opportunity arise allowing showcase talents once again proving worth team moving forward beyond current postseason run potentially paving way future endeavors continue building upon foundation laid thus far already established solidifying place amongst elite pitchers league-wide alike perhaps someday soon enough maybe?
What do you think about these changes? Can they help them win it all?
