The Mets opened up the second half of the season with a 6-4 loss to the Marlins. It wasn’t ideal, but lost in the game was a massive performance from the struggling Jeff McNeil.
McNeil’s propelled into the second half of the season with a fiery resurgence on both sides of the field. Offensively, he went 3-for-4 with two homers and three RBI. The first homer gave the Mets life and cut the Marlins lead to 4-1, while the second homer brought the Mets within one run in the sixth.
But before the home runs from the plate, McNeil stole one in the field. In the first inning, McNeil robbed Bryan De La Cruz of a potential solo home run, preventing the Marlins from taking an early lead. The utility man also robbed De La Cruz of a base hit in the fourth inning, preventing more runs from scoring.
Jul 19, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets right fielder Jeff McNeil (1) celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
McNeil needed to come out of the All-Star break strong. Prior to the break, he was batting just .216/.276/.314, with a .590 OPS. He hit just 14 doubles and five home runs prior to the All-Star break and struck out 40 times and had 24 RBIs total.
The powerful night showed life. And if it continues, it fixes an offensive hole on the team that David Stearns wouldn’t have to address at the trade deadline.
The last hit of the night didn’t go far, but set up the Mets for an inning they failed to score. In the top of the eighth, with one on, McNeil singled to advance the runner and put two on for Harrison Bader and the top of the Mets’ lineup.
Still, despite McNeil’s efforts, the Mets fell to the Marlins on Friday night 6-4. While everyone will focus on result and the wild card standings, McNeil’s performance might indicate a bounceback half.
The two-homer night was defining, and also a rarity for McNeil. The last time the lefty had clubbed two homers in one game was on Sept. 11, 2019, against the Diamondbacks. It’s been a while.
“I felt good at the plate, I’m seeing the ball well,” McNeil said postgame. “I feel like I’ve been seeing the ball well the last couple weeks, I’ve hit a couple balls hard that aren’t getting through. It was nice to have a little bit of success tonight.”
Carlos Mendoza also spoke after the loss, highlighting McNeil’s performance and indications of a breakout.
“He knows he’s a good hitter,” Mendoza said. “Even when it’s hard and he’s not getting results, the fact that the luck is not there could be hard on him. But today for him to go dead center and left on left, the way he’s driving the ball, that’s a good sign.”
The McNeil we’re all accustomed to seeing is a line drive, all-fields type hitter. But going dead center over the wall isn’t common and shows the power that McNeil can tap into.
Friday night was a good sign. Getting McNeil back in the lineup would be a gamechanger, and could be another piece to a deadly Mets lineup in 2o24.
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