Even though the New York Mets woefully underachieved in a 39-47 first half, the All Star Break is a good time to figure out who the team’s most valuable player of the half was. All Star Michael Conforto looked to have this title on lock for the first two months of the season, but a rough June took him out of the mix. Jacob deGrom also made a strong case by leading the team in wins and ending the first half on a tear, but he was a bit too inconsistent to be the first half MVP. The one player who truly was a consistent force for the Mets in the first half was, ironically, the very player they were desperate to get rid of over the winter.
In 81 games during the first half, Bruce absolutely crushed the baseball, batting .266 while leading the team in home runs (23) and RBI’s (59). Bruce’s .872 OPS is outstanding, and he is currently on pace for 43 homers and 111 RBI’s, both of which would be career highs. The timing of his strong first half is great for both Bruce, who will be a free agent over the winter, and the Mets. With the Mets falling out of contention in the first half, Bruce could be one of their most attractive trade chips before the July 31st deadline. The argument can be made that Bruce should have been the Mets’ All Star instead of Conforto, and they figure to get more in return for Bruce now than they would have if they traded him over the winter. Bruce’s health and production have helped the Mets avoid completely fading into oblivion during the first half, so if things keep going in the wrong direction for them Bruce may not be in Flushing much longer.
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