Diminished role for NY Mets rookie is as much about him as it is his replacements

It wasn’t long ago Luisangel Acuna was fighting his way into the starting second baseman’s job for the New York Mets. Taking home Rookie of the Month honors for April, a poor May and some added competition have changed the direction of his season.

Acuna remains an everyday player in the literal sense. He has participated in all 11 games the Mets have played in June but only two were starts, one as a shortstop replacement for Francisco Lindor when he briefly sat out due to a broken toe. The Mets are finding use for Acuna as a pinch runner and defensive replacement at second base. Beyond those appearances in the seventh inning or later, he isn’t doing a whole lot.

The way the Mets are using Luisangel Acuna says a lot about him but also the players who have replaced him

The Mets haven’t been shy about unleashing players at atypical positions. Brett Baty began the year as a second baseman. Jeff McNeil continues to get opportunities in center field. Ronny Mauricio is performing more as a third baseman than anywhere else.

Acuna, despite some access to center field reps in the minors on a somewhat regular basis, hasn’t been used much outside of up the middle and on the infield. Do the Mets not trust his defense anywhere else? Is it a matter of preferring the higher octane bats of his teammates?

Acuna’s numbers on the year have dipped so badly that his .289 OBP and .283 slugging percentage are now just around where his batting average was heading into May: .288. He’s using his legs effectively, with 11 steals in 12 tries, but beyond appearing like a bench player useful in the way the Mets are deploying him, there’s not a whole lot to take from his performance. It would appear that last September’s power surge was indeed a mirage.

The Mets still aren’t getting much from the players who are essentially stealing playing time. Baty has cooled off to the point where he’s hitting .222/.268/.412. The power threat and hitting left-handed keeps him in the lineup. Mauricio hasn’t hit the ground running. A .208/.296/.375 slash line through his first 27 trips to the plate isn’t building a strong case for him to stick around either.

Correctively, the Mets are rewarding good play and are quick to punish those not performing. Acuna’s inability to hit for power and what he can do well (run and play defense) has him watching the first 2/3 or more of games. Baty hitting left-handed and Mauricio batting from both sides doesn’t help either. Acuna has been left behind, at least temporarily. He has a niche. It just so happens to be a much lesser one than believed one month into the season.