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Washington Nationals: Players To Watch In Final Mets Series Of 2016

By Ricky Keeler

Sep 3, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (13) is congratulated by third baseman Jose Reyes (7) after scoring against the Washington Nationals on a RBI single by Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson (not pictured) during the third inning of the game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (13) is congratulated by third baseman Jose Reyes (7) after scoring against the Washington Nationals on a RBI single by Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson (not pictured) during the third inning of the game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 9, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; New York Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson (3) hits a RBI single as Atlanta Braves catcher Tyler Flowers (25) and home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi are shown on the play in the eighth inning of their game at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Mets Center Fielder Curtis Granderson

When you talk about this Mets offense, a lot of attention goes to the top of the order (Jose Reyes, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Cespedes), but one player who is finding his swing at the right time is Curtis Granderson. With Reyes in the leadoff spot, Granderson is now hitting cleanup in the Mets order and that move is paying off (.261, three home runs, nine RBIs in seven games).

Over his last 30 games, Granderson is hitting .198, but he does have 11 home runs (leads team) and 21 RBI’s (third on the team). In that last series against the Washington Nationals, he drove in five of the Mets nine runs to help push New York to that series win.

While Granderson has 26 home runs, he only has 48 RBI’s this season and his .224 batting average is the lowest average he has had in a season over the course of his career. With that being said, he has already tied his home run total from a season ago.

Despite the early season struggles, Granderson has had his success against the Washington Nationals this season. In 16 games, he is hitting .288 with two home runs and seven RBI’s to go with a .397 on-base percentage. Plus, his nine walks are the most of any Met player against Washington this season.

As you watch Granderson this series, keep an eye on his plate discipline and his ability to work the count of the opposing pitcher. He isn’t hitting leadoff anymore, but he still has the tendencies of a leadoff hitter. His 813 pitches seen in the last month are more than any player on the Mets.

You would expect that the Washington Nationals will be careful when pitching to Cespedes in this series, but they can’t afford to make a mistake against Granderson, who is finding a way to either get on base or pick up the big hits at the right time.

Next: Nats Hitter To Watch

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