WASHINGTON — Jeff McNeil might be the Mets’ hottest hitter, but that doesn’t mean a significant bump in the batting order is necessary for him.
The surging second baseman batted seventh on Wednesday against Nationals right-hander Aaron Sanchez, a night after he hit eighth against lefty Patrick Corbin.
“You can do about anything with [McNeil],” manager Buck Showalter said before the Mets’ 8-3 loss. “It’s kind of, you look at the batting order, and I am trying to protect some things.”
Without divulging too many specifics, Showalter indicated Dominic Smith’s presence in the lineup — he batted fifth — affected where McNeil was slotted.
After going 1-for-4 Wednesday night, McNeil is 20-for-53 (.377) in his last 16 games.
“It’s just nice to have such a versatile piece,” Showalter said. “You need a leadoff hitter or three-hole hitter, he can go about anywhere. It’s really an asset for us.”
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