1 flaw has made Cedric Mullins a less than an ideal fit for the NY Mets lineup

The New York Mets didn’t need Cedric Mullins to be an All-Star. They just needed him to be better than Tyrone Taylor. That bar wasn’t set particularly high, yet a month into his Queens tenure, Mullins is limbo dancing under it. The glove has been solid, but the bat? It’s a recurring struggle that leaves fans questioning whether the upgrade they hoped for has arrived in New York.

The bigger issue is the part of Mullins’ game that’s supposed to be his strength. As a lefty, he should thrive against right-handed pitching, but he hasn’t, repeating the pattern Baltimore saw earlier this season. With most pitchers he faces being right-handed, those at-bats become a liability rather than an advantage. His skill set shines in spots that don’t align with the lineup’s needs, making him a player who feels like an imperfect fit in New York.

The Mets are seeing the limits of Cedric Mullins’ bat as he continues to falter against right-handed pitching.

Wednesday night against the Washington Nationals showed the struggle in full view. Bases loaded, one out, Mets trailing 5-4, and Mullins stepping to the plate against righty Cole Henry. Instead of a clutch hit or an out that drives in a run, he flied out to shallow right, leaving the tying run stranded at third. The Mets never recovered, losing by the same score. It was a textbook example of a player whose strengths haven’t aligned with the moments he’s being asked to deliver.

Mullins’ numbers back it up. Across Baltimore and New York this season, he’s hitting just .199 with a .673 OPS against righties, compared with a strong .284 and .822 OPS versus lefties. In Queens, where 79 percent of his at-bats come against right-handed pitching, he’s managed just a .205 average (9-44).

This season is a departure from the last three. In 2023, his splits were neutral, but in 2022 and 2024 with Baltimore, he's thrived against right-handers. His batting average in those spots was 50-70 points higher, and his OPS jumped nearly 200 points. Now for the Amazins, the bat that once handled righties so effectively is faltering in the situations that define consistent impact, reminding everyone why fitting him seamlessly into this lineup is trickier than it seemed.

Mullins still brings speed, defense, and flashes of the bat that made him a coveted addition, but his ongoing struggle against righties is the key reason why he hasn’t provided the upgrade the Mets hoped for. The mismatch between his strengths and the lineup’s needs remains the main takeaway, keeping his potential just out of reach until he can consistently deliver in those decisive moments.