If nothing else, Yoenis Cespedes opting out early in the 2020 season showed the Mets one thing: Dominic Smith is a bona fide everyday player. Before Cespedes opted out on August 2, Smith barely saw any playing time, getting ten plate appearances in the team’s first nine games, starting only three. But after Cespedes opted out, Smith saw more regular playing time, and he hit the ground running.
Over the course of the 2020 season, Smith hit .316/.377/.616, with a .993 OPS and 165 wRC+. He ended the season in the top 12 in Major League Baseball in batting average, RBI, slugging percentage, OPS, and doubles.