Luisangel Acuna is in the majors now. Here's why the Mets changed their mind and called him up.
Luisangel Acuña of the New York Mets prepares for his first MLB at-bat in the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 14, 2024. Credit: Getty Images/Tim Nwachukwu
PHILADELPHIA — During his walk from the bus through the bowels of the ballpark, at his locker and throughout pregame practice, multi-position prospect Luisangel Acuna wore a big, bright smile Saturday.
He made his major-league debut for the Mets, going 2-for-4 and playing shortstop in a 6-4 loss to the Phillies mere hours after he was called up from Triple-A Syracuse despite not demonstrating the typically required success at that level.
Acuna, who also plays second base and centerfield, likely will be deployed in a limited role during the Mets’ push for the playoffs. They view his speed and defensive versatility as a boost to the bottom of the roster.
They’ll figure out the particulars as they go. At the outset, the 22-year-old Acuna, half-brother of injured Atlanta star Ronald Acuna Jr., was just happy to be here.
“It’s an unforgettable emotion,” Acuna said through an interpreter. “My brother called me the moment he saw the news. He congratulated me. He said this is everything that you’ve been working for, but now starts the real part.”
The Mets had mulled bringing up Acuna for a while, president of baseball operations David Stearns said. They decided to go for it after Francisco Lindor tweaked his back Friday night (he did not play Saturday).
Two weeks ago, when rosters expanded, team officials preferred Pablo Reyes (since outrighted) so Acuna could continue to play every day with Triple-A Syracuse.
One week ago, when infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil fractured his left wrist, the Mets made a similar decision, opting to replace McNeil’s lefthanded hitting (with DJ Stewart) instead of his positional prowess (with Acuna).
But with the Triple-A season closer to ending and Lindor’s status at least slightly uncertain, Stearns & Co. decided now was the time for Acuna. They demoted Stewart to Syracuse.
“Any time you’re around a big-league team, it helps,” Stearns said. “We’ve got some people here who set some pretty good examples. So that’s a nice part of this. The main part of it is because we think it’s the right roster move right now to complement our team.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza said: “As the game unfolds, some pinch-runner situations, defensive replacement, especially with some of the other guys I’m pinch hitting, he can play centerfield. I do feel really comfortable with having that extra player there that can provide that type of versatility defensively and on the bases. And he’s going to give us a good at-bat.”
With Syracuse, Acuna posted the lowest average (.258), OBP (.299) and slugging percentage (.355) of his career. And September had been his worst month yet.
Along the way, he lost his status as a top prospect. MLB Pipeline, for example, ranked him No. 66 overall in baseball entering the season. In the most updated rankings, he came in at No. 12 in the Mets’ farm system.
“The whole year, talking to Triple-A manager Dick] Scott, how impressed he was especially with the way he handled adversity when he was going through some of the struggles,” Mendoza said. “His demeanor, his preparation, the way he went about his business day in, day out, he wants to play and enjoys being in the lineup. That’s the biggest thing I got from the staff in Triple-A — the way he handles the hard times. That says a lot about a player.”
Stearns described Acuna’s defense at all three up-the-middle positions as being at “a pretty high level, continuing to develop.”
Acuna also is viewed as a strong baserunner, swiping 40 bags in the minors. Those came in 54 chances, a 74% success rate that usually is regarded as just OK. Mendoza said the Mets have “already had that conversation with him” about running in the majors.
“He needs to continue to learn and pick his spots,” Mendoza said. “The speed is there, but now we’ve got to continue to help him with jumps, something he’s been working on in the minor leagues and they’ve done a really good job of continuing to help him. I do feel good about him going out there and getting a base for us.”
The Mets hope Acuna will continue to develop at the sport’s highest level and be able to contribute in the most important games of the season.
“It’s a really special feeling,” Acuna said. “I’m just here to help the team in whatever way they need me to help.”
Extra bases
Starling Marte went for X-rays after getting hit by a pitch in the left forearm area . . . Stearns said he is “pretty optimistic” that Kodai Senga (left calf strain) will return by the end of the month, probably in an abbreviated start.
The Mets finally have a diagnosis for righthander Paul Blackburn: a spinal fluid leak in his mid-back, according to Stearns.
“This is not a long-term scary health situation,” Stearns said. “It sounds troubling. But clearly an unusual baseball injury. And that has led to the back discomfort that he felt and progressively got worse.”
He added that they don’t know how Blackburn suffered this injury or how long he’ll be out.
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.
