After addressing their bullpen on Wednesday, the Mets got their center fielder just hours before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline on Thursday, acquiring Cedric Mullins from the Baltimore Orioles.
New York is sending minor leaguers Raimon Gomez, Anthony Nunez, and Chandler Marsh to Baltimore for the 30-year-old, who has not been able to recapture the magic of his 30/30 season four years ago. In 91 games this year, Mullins is batting .229 with a .738 OPS, 15 home runs, and 49 RBI. He has been hot as of late, batting .292 with an .872 OPS over his last 21 games.
Still, this is a player who fills a significant need for a Mets team that is fully committed to its championship aspirations after acquiring relievers Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley on Wednesday.
Entering the 2025 season with a platoon of Jose Siri and Tyrone Taylor in center field, the former went down with a broken leg in April, and while the latter provides an elite glove, his offense has left plenty to be desired. It has forced Jeff McNeil, a natural second baseman, to step in for support, but it still has not done enough to move the needle on the team’s overall picture at the position.
New York’s -0.2 WAR from its center fielders this season is 17th in baseball, and its .602 OPS ranks 27th.
Not only does Mullins improve those stats, but he also brings a solid glove to the equation (his 2 outs above average ranks in MLB’s 83rd percentile) and beefs up the lower half of the lineup behind Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso — especially in areas in which they struggle.
Mets batters rank 29th in MLB with a .227 average with runners in scoring position, while their .226 mark against lefties ranks 24th. Mullins does well against left-handed pitching with a slashline of .298/.390/.476 (.866 OPS) with three home runs and nine RBI in 84 at-bats. While he has not fared exceptionally well with runners in scoring position — he is batting .232 — he does have a .769 OPS.
His arrival allows McNeil to return to second base while manager Carlos Mendoza can deploy his young infielders like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Luisangel Acuna more liberally as the season’s stakes heighten.
