New York Mets: The impact of Dominic Smith’s breakout
Off to a Hot Start, But Gets Injured
Despite his two bad MLB seasons where he saw inconsistent playing time, he was able to make the most of 2019 and was hungry to prove himself.
Smith did have some major competition in 2019. As you may all remember, Pete Alonso hit 53 home runs and won NL rookie of the year. Alonso became the no doubt first baseman for the Mets which meant Smith had to adapt and accept his role on the bench or a fringe starter.
In 2019, the league-wide designated hitter did not exist yet so Smith still had to yield his time at first base to Alonso. Although Smith was not a guaranteed starter every day at first base like Alonso, he was able to begin the season with the Mets and saw time in the outfield.
Smith was performing very well and proved to Mets fans that he is not a washed-up prospect.
Smith definitely felt more comfortable and felt that he earned the trust of the coaching staff despite being surpassed in the depth charts by Alonso at first base. In the first half of the season, he started 27 games, and pinch-hit often which led him to 77 appearances in games.
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He finally showed his potential by hitting .304, .389 OBP, .939 OPS, eight home runs, and 14 RBIs.
But at the end of July, Smith was put on the injured list with a stress reaction in his left foot which would ultimately leave him out of the remaining 2019 season. With this injury, he became forgotten behind Alonso’s stardom. Would it fuel him to come out swinging in 2020?