Jared Young quickly becoming an unexpected Mets spark with power surge

SAN DIEGO — An unexpected source has provided the Mets with a needed offensive lift over the last two weeks.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.

Jared Young began the season as a player clinging to a major league job as a left-handed bat off the bench.Since returning from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee May 26, he has gradually worked his way into an important role.Young entered Saturday with three homers in his last six games, posting a .944 OPS in 55 plate appearances this season.

He gives manager Carlos Mendoza an alternative to the streaky Mark Vientos at first base but has also seen action at DH and the outfield.It certainly doesn’t hurt knowing there is a good chance he will be in the lineup against right-handed starting pitchers.“That helps, I am not going to ignore that,” Young said before the Mets faced the Padres on Saturday.“It’s easier when you get consecutive games to play and play more often, it gives us more chances to get out there and feel good.”In Friday’s 5-0 victory over the Padres, he homered in his first at-bat and finished the night 2-for-4.

It was a third multihit game in his last six for Young, who had reached base in 11 straight games as play began.Mendoza has not hesitated to bat Young in the cleanup spot.The manager cited Young’s ability to control the strike zone as the key to his consistency.“This is a guy who is going to go out there and he’s going to compete,” Mendoza said.

“He’s going to give you quality at-bats because of his knowledge of the strike zone.He has got pop, but he’s got a pretty good idea in understanding what the pitchers are trying to do to him, so it’s just good to see it and he’s been an impactful bat for us.”Young produced a .722 OPS in 22 games for the Mets last year, spending most of the season at Triple-A Syracuse after playing in Korea.Young’s emergen...