The Case for Tyrone Taylor: Because He’s Enough — Nuff Said
The Case for Tyrone Taylor: Because He’s Enough — Nuff Said
The Mets are searching for answers, but Tyrone Taylor already is one. This is a defense of “glue guys”, quiet contributors, and why enough is more than enough when October baseball is the goal.
Tyrone Taylor doesn’t trend. He doesn’t have a shoe deal. He’s not in your fantasy lineup or your Twitter arguments.
But he might just be the guy your team actually needs to win.
Because baseball—real baseball—isn’t won by the loudest bats or the flashiest gloves. It’s won by the guy who runs through a wall in the 7th inning of a Wednesday night game in Cincinnati because that’s what it takes. It’s won by the guy who isn’t afraid of the big moment, not because he’s chasing it, but because he’s ready when it shows up.
That’s Tyrone Taylor.
He’s Hitting with RISP
Let’s be clear. The Mets are hitting .218 with runners in scoring position this season. That’s bad. Like “do we need a group therapy session?” bad.
But Tyrone Taylor? He’s hitting .267 with RISP. He’s getting on base at a .346 clip when it matters. That’s not just solid—it’s clutch. He’s lifting that .218 team average, not dragging it down.
So explain to me again why he's the guy getting fewer ABs?
He’s an Elite Defender
You want metrics? We got metrics.
Taylor ranks in the 90th-plus percentile in range and arm strength. His Defensive Runs Saved numbers are strong, and he’s one of the best in the league at making tough plays look routine.
According to Statcast’s 2025 Outs Above Average leaderboard, Taylor ranks 17th among center fielders with 4 OAA and 4 runs prevented. On paper, that might look middle-of-the-pack. But context matters.
He’s played fewer innings than many of the players above him on the list, thanks to platoon roles and lineup shuffling. So his impact per inning is likely higher than it appears in raw totals.
And he’s ahead of big-name defenders like Cody Bellinger, Byron Buxton, and Daulton Varsho—guys who’ve been touted as elite for years. Taylor doesn’t come with that kind of hype, but the results are there.
He doesn’t just catch the ball. He erases doubles, turns singles into outs, and cuts off rallies before they start. That’s elite defense. That’s playoff defense.
He’s Not the Problem
If you’re a Mets exec reading this (you’re not, but let’s pretend), please understand:
The guy batting .267 with runners on second and third is not the problem.
The guy with Gold Glove defense in center field is not the problem.
The guy who plays hard, stays healthy, and doesn’t pout when his name’s not on a t-shirt is not the problem.
The problem is you keep trying to out-talent your way out of tough spots—when what you need is guys who get it done when the lights aren’t even on yet. Glue guys. Hustlers. Professionals.
The Asterisk
Now look—there’s an asterisk here.
If the Mets somehow land Jarren Duran? Cool. I’ll shut up. Duran is a stud. He’s the kind of guy you make room for. Speed, swagger, juice, OBP, all of it. That dude’s the real deal.
But other than that?
Get out of here with that bullshit.
Tyrone Taylor isn’t the guy holding you back. He’s the one holding the damn thing together.
Let’s Just Say It Straight
The Mets don’t need to replace Tyrone Taylor.
They need to build around him.
That’s the whole damn post right there.
You can have Mookie, Freddie, and Ohtani. But when the game’s on the line, it’s the Tommy Edmans and Tyrone Taylors of the world who make the play that actually swings a series.
Think about it:
David Eckstein, 2006 World Series MVP
Steve Pearce, 2018 World Series MVP
Ben Zobrist, 2016—Mr. Swiss Army Knife himself
Tommy Edman, quietly putting up WAR like he’s sneaking it past customs
These dudes aren’t lighting up your fantasy league—but they’re out there winning real games.
Meanwhile, front offices and fanbases stay hypnotized by tools and prospect rankings. But it’s the gritty, versatile, smart baseball players—the ones who hustle down the line on a routine grounder or take the extra base—that make the difference when the lights are brightest.
Tyrone Taylor isn’t a backup.
He’s the kind of player championship teams are made of.
Keep Tyrone around — I wanna be playing in November.
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