4 years agoNew York Mets outfielder Dominic Smith, who came into Monday's game against the Cubs in an 0-for-20 slide, went 2-for-3 with a walk, homer, and two runs scored after manager Luis Rojas moved him to the number three spot in the lineup. It was a much-needed game for Smith. Overall, he is slashing .244/.312/.358 with just five home runs and 22 RBI in 193 at-bats. 2021 has been a huge step-down for Smith from his breakout 2020 campaign in which he belted 10 HR, with 42 RBI and a .316/.377/.616 slash line over 173 at-bats. Initially projected to return 30-plus HR prior to the season, Smith has been a disappointment. Moving Smith to the third spot in the lineup between Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso on Monday seemed to pay off in terms of getting him better pitches to hit. Perhaps Monday's performance, coupled with a recent hot streak Smith had while the Mets were on their last road trip, is a sign of things to come as we head into the summer months.--Nick Ritrivi - RotoBaller
Source: MLB.com