Mets' David Stearns waiting for Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuna to figure it out
Mets second baseman Luisangel Acuna replaces Brett Baty at second base for the ninth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citi Field on Sunday. Credit: Brad Penner
A note for anybody eager to see Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuna or both figure it out and take advantage of the ripe major-league opportunity in front of them: David Stearns feels the same way.
While praising the defensive performances of both players, even saying that Baty has “probably exceeded our expectations” at second base, Stearns acknowledged Monday that their minimal offensive output has been disappointing.
“I’d love to see one of them step up,” said Stearns, the president of baseball operations. “I’d love to see one of them take advantage of at-bats and perform, and that’s what someone like Mark Vientos did last year. When he got an opportunity, he solidified a spot at the major-league level. You’d love to see that from young players. I also understand it can’t always happen at the exact moment we want it to.”
Nine games into the season, it hasn’t happened yet for the Mets.
Baty entered the week with a .095 average, a .095 OBP and a .143 slugging percentage. Translation: two hits, no walks and one extra-base hit in seven games.
For Acuna, those numbers were .143/.200/.214.
Mets second baseman Brett Baty waits to turn a double play during the fourth inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday at Citi Field. Credit: AP/Seth Wenig
Baty has received slightly more playing time, but the Mets’ lineup Monday night against the Marlins included Acuna slotted in against a righthander, Valente Bellozo. He mostly has played against lefthanders. Manager Carlos Mendoza said he is “finding ways for both of those guys to play.”
Neither Baty’s big spring training nor Acuna’s standout debut last September has translated in the early going.
“They haven’t gotten off to the starts that they would have liked,” Stearns said. “Brett had a really hot spring training and you saw the type of potential and quality at-bats that he had. For him, it’s getting back to that approach and frankly seeing some results. That’s a big part of this at the major-league level. You need to see some results to get that confidence back. If we can have some hits fall for really both of those guys, I think hopefully we can get one of them on a roll here and allow us to have a really healthy complement when we get fully healthy.”
Jeff McNeil’s return from a strained right oblique is not imminent; the Mets don’t have a rehab assignment scheduled yet. When he does return, Baty or Acuna figures to get sent to the minors. “I would love to see one or both of them perform at a really high level before we have to make those decisions,” Stearns said, “and prove that they’re going to be able to really contribute throughout the course of the year.”
Nunez update
Reliever Dedniel Nunez is eligible to return to the major leagues this week, but the Mets have not decided when they will call him up, Stearns said. The Mets have him on a “pretty structured progression,” according to Stearns, to ease him back into action with Triple-A Syracuse after he spent much of last season injured.
“So that when we call him up, he has the ability to really function as a full-go major-league reliever,” Stearns said. “But the stuff has been good, he’s thrown well and he’s been encouraging.”
Emergen-C
Luis Torrens’ bruised right forearm — and Mendoza’s willingness to sub out his starting catcher in any given game — raised the question: Who is the Mets’ emergency backstop?
Apparently, Tyrone Taylor is at the top of the list of options. Mendoza said he played some catcher in high school (though he has played outfield exclusively since getting drafted in 2012).
“Let’s hope we’re not [ever in need],” Mendoza said. “It’s not a good feeling in the dugout.”
Eyes on Allan
Matt Allan, the former Mets top pitching prospect who had two Tommy John surgeries, appeared in a game Sunday for the first time since 2019.
He struck out five in 2 2⁄3 innings for Low-A St. Lucie, throwing 44 pitches and averaging 96 mph with his fastball.
Simply being healthy is an accomplishment for Allan, Stearns said, but the Mets won’t be afraid to move him up the minor-league ladder quickly if he deserves it. Allan would be a minor-league free agent after this season if the Mets don’t add him to the 40-man roster.
“I don’t think we’re going to put too many ceilings on him,” Stearns said. “As he performs, we’ll move him. But we also need to ensure that he stays healthy and he’s able to take the ball.
“Given everything Matt has gone through, every time he takes the ball right now, we’re just happy. And he deserves to be happy and deserves to enjoy it.”
Time change
Marlins-Mets on Tuesday will be at 4:10 p.m., the Mets announced, moved up from the originally scheduled 7:10 p.m. because of bad weather.
Temperatures are supposed to dip into the 30s.
Because that bad weather has prevented the Mets from doing on-field pregame activity, they might send Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez (hand surgery) back to Florida, Mendoza said. Both players need to take batting practice and do other baseball activities on the field to continue their rehab . . . . The Mets will host coach Rick Pitino and the St. John’s men’s basketball team at their Wednesday afternoon game against Miami. Team captain Zuby Ejiofor will throw the ceremonial first pitch with his teammates behind him.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
