The Mets own the best record in the major leagues (18-7) behind statistically the best staff in baseball.
The team knows its pitching dominance — a 2.34 ERA that is easily No. 1 in MLB — is not sustainable.
The club hopes when its pitching cools off, its hitting heats up.
“We’re not even close to hitting on all cylinders, and guys are still kind of feeling their way through April,” co-hitting coach Eric Chavez said recently.
Pete Alonso has carried the team for nearly a month, and Francisco Lindor has pitched in over the past few weeks.
Otherwise, the attack has been middling.
Entering Thursday’s off day in Washington, the Mets were a slightly below-average offense in averaging 4.20 runs per game.
Their only other everyday player with a better-than-average OPS was Juan Soto, who has walked enough to be productive but has not been his best in his first month with the team.
Brandon Nimmo has struck the ball hard but not found results.
He has been more aggressive than usual — he swung at the first pitch in about 29 percent of his at-bats over his first nine seasons but this season is at a 41 percent clip that is “too high,” Chavez said.
Still, Nimmo’s average (.196) is far below his expected average (.246).
Ditto for Mark Vientos, who had no luck through the first two weeks of the season but has elevated his OPS from .393 to .579 over his past nine games.
“I’m finding holes now,” Vientos said after homering Tuesday. “That’s the hardest part about this game is just not getting away from yourself, no matter if you have results or not.”
Help is on the way in the form of Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez, who are expected to be activated Friday.
Without McNeil, Luisangel Acuña and Brett Baty increasingly have impressed at second base, while Luis Torrens (.241 average, .675 OPS) has held his own at catcher.
But the Mets’ best hitting team will feature McNeil and Alvarez.
“I’m really looking forward to the summer,” Chavez said about an offense he believes will take off.
The Mets’ game against the Cubs on May 11 was moved from 11:35 a.m. to 12:05 p.m.
The game will air exclusively on Roku.
