Mets Lack Focus on Defensive Fundamentals, Criticizes Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez expressed deep disappointment regarding the Mets’ apparent disregard for defensive skills at first base, a position he once played. Following a narrow 4-3 defeat against the Brewers, he voiced his frustrations about the team’s approach.
“It seems like they don’t appreciate first base as they should in today’s game,” Hernandez remarked, pointing out Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn’s dedication to catching an out.
“Especially not with the Mets,” he added.
Hernandez, who often emphasizes the importance of “good fundamentals,” tends to criticize teams that appear to lack these basic skills, likening them to the “Bad News Bears.”
The Mets have relied on Pete Alonso at first for seven seasons. While he hasn’t exactly been a Gold Glove caliber player, he indeed put in effort to improve his game. This year, though, the Mets seem to be downplaying the importance of a solid defensive presence at first base. Hernandez mentioned that first base should be easy to handle, but it appears they are rotating players in and out, hoping to improvise their way through defense.
Currently, the Mets rank 23rd in defensive runs allowed with a poor -3 score. Mark Vientos, who is far better suited for a designated hitter role, is taking on the challenges of first base, alongside Jorge Polanco, who doesn’t have much experience there.
Other players like Jared Young and Eric Wagaman have also seen some time at the position, but their performances have varied. Based on metrics from Baseball Savant, Vientos has struggled (-8), while Young has been slightly above average (+1).
If the Mets were making up for these defensive shortcomings with strong offensive output—as they did when Alonso was more productive—they might have fared better. However, this season’s first baseman has not been able to meet those needs. With a .220/.281/.397 batting line and a total of -0.6 fWAR, their offensive struggles place them near the bottom of their division.
This combination of ineffective offense and lackluster defense has contributed to the Mets’ troubling standing in the NL East, leaving them with a record of 43 wins and 60 losses—clearly positioning them as sellers as the trade deadline approaches.
