3 NY Mets players who tricked fans into thinking they should play more than deserved

2) Luisangel Acuna

Unbelievably, Luisangel Acuna won the NL Rookie of the Month honors for April. It looked like the infield prospect the Mets had no interest in having on their roster had finally emerged. There was a debate about how the team could even fit Jeff McNeil onto the roster with how well Acuna had been playing.

McNeil’s return from the IL bumped Acuna to the bench a little more often. In part because of less playing time, his numbers slid down a mountain. The explanation was pretty easy. Acuna hasn’t been hitting the ball hard very much at all this season. His power surge at the tail end of 2024 was, in fact, an outlier for an infielder the Mets seem to view as a speedy bench player more than an actual starter.

Demoted in late June, he is now back with the team but not much closer to receiving an increase in playing time. The promotion seemed to have more to do with managing his minor league options. By recalling him when they did, Acuna’s final minor league option remains. It adds flexibility for the Mets if they choose to keep him for next year. This adds to his already sinking trade value. Other teams would probably like to have the same ability to send him to the minors. Without it, they’d have to figure out pretty quickly whether he’s a good fit for them or not.

Acuna will need to continue battling for some playing time in what is currently a crowded Mets infield. Do they deploy him in center field at all?