Overview
- Semien began his Mets tenure with a prolonged slump, hitting .214/.263/.297 with three homers and 18 RBI across his first 53 games.
- He then heated up during the recent Citi Field homestand, batting .350 in six games with two homers and going 5-for-10 in the three-game sweep of the Marlins.
- Manager Carlos Mendoza credited a quicker, shorter swing and better strike-zone control for the turnaround and Semien pointed to daily cage work and repetition as the cause.
- Analytical measures cited by coverage show cause for caution, with an average exit velocity of about 86.1 mph and an average bat speed near 68.4 mph that rank in the low MLB percentiles.
- Semien’s pattern of slow starts after joining new teams, plus his Gold Glove defense, means the Mets can gain offensive lift if he sustains this form but may need other hitters to carry the load if the improvement proves short lived.