When you are 36 years old and playing out of position in center field, fans are going to question whether you are done.  They are going to call for the younger player to play over you.  They will tend to overlook all that you have done for a team and focus on what best helps the team to win now.  Baseball is cruel that way, and baseball is being cruel to Curtis Granderson right now.

Through his first 15 games, Granderson hit just .143/.197/.214 with no homers and four RBI.  It is an especially slow start for sure, but it isn’t the first slow start of his career.  In fact, using OPS+ as a barometer, April has been Granderson’s second worst month of the season.  In his relatively short time with the Mets, we have seen that play out:

• 2014 April: .136/.252/.216
  2014 Final: .227/.326/.388

• 2015 April: .231/.362/.321
  2015 Final: .259/.364/.457

• 2016 April: .247/.347/.471
  2016 Final: .237/.335/.464

With the noted exception of last year, Granderson typically grows stronger as the season progresses.  Granderson is aware of it himself telling Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, “I’m not sure if it’s the transition from spring to the beginning of the season.  If it’s the timing of the games, more day games to more night games. The weather. The inconsistency of playing [time in spring training]. … I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s a different view [when you’re hitting]. You have fewer things out there in spring training and you have more things during the season.”

No matter what the reason, Granderson has always figured things out.  More importantly, Granderson has been there when the Mets needed him most.  In 2015, when he was really the only major league caliber bat in the lineup, he helped keep the team afloat.  In June of that season, Granderson hit .291/.371/.544 with seven homers and 11 RBI.

In the 2015 World Series, when most of the Mets lineup was struggling, Granderson was trying to will the Mets to victory hitting three home runs in that series.  All three of those home runs gave the Mets the lead.

Last season, with the Mets desperately fighting to get back to the postseason, Granderson stepped up.  He was moved out of the lead-off spot in the order to the cleanup spot where he would finally provide Yoenis Cespedes the protection in the lineup the team was seeking all season.  From the cleanup spot, Granderson hit .321/.440/.605 with six homers and 18 RBI.  In September, when the Mets were making their real push to claim a Wild Card spot, Granderson hit .302/.414/.615 with eight homers and 21 RBI.

Simply put, the Mets do not make the postseason in 2015 or 2016 without Granderson.  Fortunately, the Mets allowed Granderson to fight through his slumps, especially his April ones, to be the contributor they both knew he could be, and more importantly, become the one the Mets needed.  Granderson has a well established track record.  More to the point, he has been an important part of the Mets that should not be overlooked . . . especially right now. 

Yoenis Cespedes has a hamstring problem, and no one knows when he will be able to return to the lineup. Lucas Duda is on the disabled list as is his primary backup Wilmer Flores is as well. This means Jay Bruce will be playing first base for the foreseen future. It also means regardless of Granderson’s struggles, he will play everyday. 

Just like in 2015 and 2016, the Mets need Granderson to step up. Last night, he did just that. Granderson had his best game of the season by far. He was 2-4 with a run, two RBI, a walk, and a home run. His first RBI was a two out RBI single. The second was a game tying solo homer to the second deck. On top of his hitting, Granderson had a nice game in the field including making a sliding catch by the wall. 

Once again, Granderson is stepping up when the Mets need him, and based upon his Mets career, we can expect Granderson to continue to improve. Come October, it’s likely the Aptil struggles will be forgetten. It’s likely we will be once again thankful Granderson is a Met.