WASHINGTON — Jeff McNeil is fading away, though unlike so many vestiges of the New York Mets, the condition is not permanent. He’s simply been absent from the lineup − manager’s decision − for the past two games, the byproduct of an ugly stat line and an overall value that puts him below a replacement player.
It was just two years ago that McNeil was an All-Star, worth 5.7 WAR on a 101-win team, a playoff dalliance that inspired owner Steve Cohen to double down on his $43.3 million annual investment in Max Scherzer with a similar outlay for similarly aged Justin Verlander.
We all know what happened: The 2023 Mets, the most expensive team in the game, did not inspire, winning 75 games with $320 million in payroll, plus a $100 million tax bill. Significant change unfolded, though what the Mets are left with is, like McNeil’s plight, not unlike the iconic photo from “Back To The Future,” where Marty McFly must maintain history lest he be erased from the picture
