For all of the tough decisions that Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was supposed to face when Jeff McNeil returned from his oblique injury, Luisangel Acuna has made it all rather simple.
Despite the Mets’ regular starting second baseman making his return, Acuna is making it impossible for Mendoza to sit him. The 23-year-old infielder started each of the last four games at second base as he continued his tear on Tuesday night at Citi Field during New York’s 8-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a pair of hits, two runs scored, and a stolen base.
Shrugging off a miserable nine-game start, Acuna has slashed .358/.404/.434 (.837 OPS) with four doubles, three RBI, and six stolen bases in his previous 17 games entering Wednesday night’s middle game against Arizona.
“He has taken advantage of his opportunities,” Mendoza said. “That’s on us to continue his development and to continue to give him playing time. It’s important for him to get comfortable at this level. He continues to show he’s a big-league player.”
His breakout made it an easy call for the Mets to option Brett Baty to Triple-A upon McNeil’s return. As for McNeil, he has played 10.2 innings at second and 13 in the outfield — his versatility makes him part of a platoon in center field alongside Tyrone Taylor after Jose Siri went down with a broken leg.
With this recent hot streak, Acuna is now batting .300 on the season. Through his first 40 career MLB games — he appeared in 14 last season when Francisco Lindor was dealing with a back injury — he is batting .303 with an .813 OPS.
“He’s putting together great at-bats,” Mendoza said. “He’s not chasing as much, he’s not trying to do too much at the plate, and he’s using all fields… he’s just such a dynamic player out there. When he gets on base, he stole a base, then before you know it, he’s scoring on a single, and then from first base, he has the ability to score on a ball down the line.
“There’s a lot to like offensively, not just in the box, but also when he gets on base. I like where he’s at right now.”
