Yes, I’m the guy who wrote Yoenis Cespedes should be a serious candidate for National League MVP despite beginning this season in the American League.
Cespedes’ MVP credentials are growing stronger by the day. He homered again Monday night, his ninth in the last 13 games. Since Cespedes joined the Mets on Aug. 1, they’ve gone from two games behind the Nationals to 9 1/2 in front.
Yet, I need to acknowledge something else: The Mets’ other outfielders have been exceptional lately, too.
According to STATS LLC, here were the top outfields in Major League Baseball since Aug. 1, ranked by OPS entering Monday:
1. Mets, .972
2. Mariners, .908
3. Red Sox, .888
4. Cubs, .864
5. Nationals, .848
Veteran right fielder Curtis Granderson has an OPS of more than .900 since the All-Star break. He’s enjoying his finest offensive season since 2011 -- when he finished fourth in the AL MVP vote with the Yankees -- and has played in 142 of the Mets’ 144 games this year.
Rookie left fielder Michael Conforto -- who didn’t even debut in the majors until July 24 -- posted a .911 OPS with seven home runs over his first 40 games as a Met. He’s the rare 22-year-old prospect who arrives in New York and exceeds the initial hype.
If you’re wondering what transformed the Mets’ offense this year, there’s your answer: The Mets have three starting outfielders playing at an All-Star level; during the first half, they had none.
After years of piecing together unproductive outfields, general manager Sandy Alderson has assembled one of the best in the game . . . at least until Cespedes files for free agency.
