Tyrone Taylor came to the Mets to be the team’s fourth outfielder and so far this season, he’s started multiple games in all three outfield spots.
More than that, he’s been one of the team’s most productive hitters.
Despite having just 54 plate appearances, Taylor’s 13 RBIs are second on the team, trailing only Brandon Nimmo’s 15.
He also has an OPS of .869 and an OPS+ of 147, both team-highs.
A pair of National League scouts that have seen Taylor several times this season, including on the just-concluded West Coast trip, said not much has changed in his swing.
“He’s more selective,’’ one scout said. “But the talent has always been there. They have to be careful not to overuse him.”
That likely won’t be an issue, especially with J.D. Martinez expected to be in the lineup for the Mets for the first time on Friday, when they open a homestand against the Cardinals.
Taylor’s ability to fill in all over the outfield has allowed Carlos Mendoza to rest all three starting outfielders — while keeping the important bats of Nimmo and Starling Marte in the lineup at DH.
That luxury will go away with the presence of Martinez, although no one is complaining about the addition of the 36-year-old right-handed power hitter.
With Taylor’s performance at the plate, the Mets will want to keep him active.
According to Fangraphs, Taylor is swinging at fewer pitches outside the strike zone (27.6 percent compared to a career mark of 36 percent). He’s also hitting more line drives and not as many fly balls.
Taylor’s defense has been solid, if not spectacular.
After Wednesday’s win in San Francisco, when Taylor doubled and homered, Mendoza said he would keep the outfield “rotation going.”
And he made it clear Taylor wouldn’t be on the bench for long, even with Martinez around.
“[Taylor’s] going to be a huge part of this team moving forward,’’ Mendoza said.
Michael Tonkin is an ex-Met.
Again.
The Yankees claimed the right-hander off waivers from the Mets on Tuesday, three days after the Mets designated Tonkin for assignment.
The 34-year-old right-hander signed with the Mets prior to this season before being DFA’d for the first time last month, going to the Twins for cash considerations.
After making one appearance with Minnesota, Tonkin returned to the Mets on waivers.
In his two stints in Queens, Tonkin pitched in five games and gave up 10 runs — four earned — in seven innings.
Jose Butto provided a much-needed boost to the starting rotation in his first two outings, especially with the absence of Kodai Senga.
But after tossing six innings apiece in that initial pair of starts, Butto resembled much of the rest of the rotation his last time out, when he lasted just 4 ¹/₃ innings, while walking five.
The Mets rank 26th in innings pitched by starters this season, which is already taxing the bullpen, so they hope for more from Butto when he opens the series against St. Louis on Friday.