Mets’ current lineup construction has two key drawbacks

The preferred grouping of late has seen Lindor followed by Soto, Nimmo and Alonso in the top four of the batting order. The Mets have had two offensive explosions with that lineup and have scored more runs in the past week with it, so it makes sense for Mendoza to try sticking with a group that has functioned well.

While the Mets will happily take their increased offensive production from the lineup as a whole, Mendoza's current grouping of the top four hitters does have some significant drawbacks that opponents can exploit. Those flaws are more evident in clutch and late situations, which can be critical for a Mets team fighting to make the postseason over the next six weeks.

Brandon Nimmo's Position In The Lineup Can Lead To Matchup Disadvantages

The big issue with the current grouping involves Nimmo being in the three hole between Soto and Alonso. While Nimmo is one of the team's best hitters when he is in a groove and offers good bat-to-ball skills, the current alignment stacks three left-handed hitters at the top of the order when a right-handed pitcher is on the mound.

Mendoza has often used a left-handed batter in the ninth slot as well, with Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio frequently drawing that spot while Cedric Mullins is batting ninth on Sunday. Such a lineup deployment makes it easy for opposing teams to have a clear lane to bring in their left-handed specialists late in the game, as they would have a run of three out of four lefties in a row with Lindor turning around to the right side in those spots.

The other big issue is that having Nimmo behind Soto makes it much more appealing for teams to pitch around Soto in clutch situations. While Nimmo is no slouch at the plate, the Mets should be trying to ensure that teams have to deal with Soto in big spots more often than they do.

One simple solution to both options is to return to the Mets' Opening Day lineup configuration, which saw Alonso hitting third and Nimmo in the cleanup spot. Opposing managers would have to think twice about going to their lefties knowing Alonso would be in line for an at-bat against them in the late innings while Alonso's protection would get Soto more pitches to hit.

This strategy could be implemented as the Mets continue to gain confidence in Francisco Alvarez's turnaround, which has seen him hit .293 with four home runs, 12 RBI, and a .991 OPS in his first 20 games back from a minor league stint. If Alvarez can earn a promotion to the five hole (he is batting sixth tonight), the Mets could then use him to separate Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, creating a balanced lineup that is deeper and tougher for opponents to navigate down the stretch.