Are the Mets Moving On From Their Former All-Star?

There was a strange absence in the New York Mets' lineup over the past few days.

The Mets' offense came to life against the Washington Nationals, scoring 23 runs in a three-game sweep. However, star second baseman Jeff McNeil was on the bench throughout the series, with the recently called-up Jose Iglesias taking his place.

A possible reason for benching McNeil was that the Nationals started a left-handed pitcher in all three games (MacKenzie Gore, DJ Herz, and Patrick Corbin), but this doesn't add up entirely as McNeil has a higher batting average against lefties (.246) this season than he does against righties (.217). Strangely, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said "McNeil is still our second baseman" after keeping him out of the lineup on Tuesday, only to bench him again on Wednesday.

Jeff McNeil’s break also ‘mental’ as absence from Mets lineup may continue https://t.co/YM1kWCis2K pic.twitter.com/LWGTUP8tXY
— New York Post (@nypost) June 6, 2024

Eventually, Mendoza acknowledged that McNeil had to "work on some things" and needed a mental break.

“Yeah, it’s mental,” Mendoza said. “It gives him an opportunity to continue to work on the things he needs to be working on, which he is.”

The season has been a brutal struggle for McNeil so far, as he's slashing just .227/.296/.320 in 57 games with a wRC+ of 85. His average is currently 99 points lower than it was in 2022, when he led the majors with a .326 clip; this is especially concerning when McNeil isn't getting on base at a high rate or hitting for power. He's also been below-average defensively, being worth -3 outs above average at second base.

It's one thing to replace McNeil with a prospect, but it's a completely different situation when an 11-year veteran like Iglesias is the replacement. A .279 lifetime hitter with excellent defense, the 34-year-old shortstop has taken advantage of his opportunity with the Mets by going 7-for-18 with three RBI and three runs scored.

He immediately made an impact during New York's sweep in the nation's capital by pounding three hits in the series opener, including an RBI single that put the Mets ahead for good in an eventual 8-7 win. Iglesias had a hit in each of the next two games as well, with another RBI single in the finale, and added the exclamation point to the sweep by making a diving grab at second for the final out.

The Mets have batted around in the 6th inning and Jose Iglesias drives in the 6th run of the inning! pic.twitter.com/T1gldg0blt
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 5, 2024

Iglesias may also start for the Mets on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies, as left-hander Ranger Suarez is scheduled to start for New York's hated rival. This would make it a full week since McNeil's last at-bat.

The Mets have frequently been mentioned as not only being sellers at the trade deadline, but have been recommended to blow up their core and start from scratch. This begs the question: could this be the end of the line for McNeil?

That isn't likely, as the 32-year-old infielder signed a four-year, $50 million contract with the Mets after the 2022 season and is only in year two of the deal. McNeil's pedigree as an MLB batting champion is also too great for him to stay on the bench forever, and Mendoza's insistence that he's still the starting second baseman further helps his job security.

But if the Mets continue to see better results with Iglesias on the field, McNeil could be in a much more uncomfortable situation.