New York Mets Make Major Lineup Change

Mets Move Lindor Down in Lineup, Benge to Bat Leadoff

Lindor was dropped from the leadoff spot in July of last season while the Mets were experiencing a similar skid. Moving down to the two-hole for a game against the Brewers, it snapped a 191 consecutive game streak for Lindor as New York's leadoff man. The experiment was short lived but helped a slumping Lindor produce as he immediately delivered a 3-for-4 effort with a home run and three RBI in a 7-3 Mets win.

The logic seems similar here, as the scuffling New York lineup is in search of any kind of new energy. For that, they are turning to the 23-year-old Benge to be a table setter.

The young outfielder has had a difficult start to the year. After homering in his MLB debut on Opening Day, Benge has managed just seven hits in his next 50 at-bats, bringing his season batting average to .151 with 15 strikeouts and just three runs driven in.

Benge will be in right field on Friday and following him in the lineup will be third baseman Bo Bichette, then Lindor, before Luis Robert Jr. who will be batting cleanup and playing center field. While the decision to move Lindor down and Benge up is the most eye-popping, it will be interesting to see how Bichette and Robert Jr. fair in their new spots.

Lindor is likely to move back up to his leadoff role at some point regardless, but if the Mets see some increased production out of any of the other bats on Friday, it's reasonable to assume that they could become long-term placements. Bichette has also gotten off to a slow start, so perhaps a bit of time in a new spot could jumpstart his season in the same way they are hoping it will for Lindor.

Of course, things will have to be rearranged again when Juan Soto returns from his calf injury in the next week or two, but his absence may offer the perfect opportunity to try to shift some things around and capture a new energy after the lackluster start.

On Tuesday, Mendoza had explained that Lindor was "too good of a hitter" to consider taking him out of the leadoff spot. The veteran responded with a leadoff homer to tally his first RBI of the season, but the Mets bats fell silent again and the dropped the series finale against the Dodgers to extend the losing streak to eight.

In the off day, the narrative clearly shifted in the manager's office and Mendoza decided it was time for a shake-up. Hopefully this is what Lindor needs to get going, as the 12-year veteran is slashing just .184/.287/.289 through the first 19 games and has made several uncharacteristic mistakes in the field.

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