NY Mets roster gets too stuffed if they keep Luisangel Acuna and Jeff McNeil

Redundancy hasn’t been a problem for David Stearns in the past. The New York Mets began the 2024 season with Zack Short and Joey Wendle. Their center field plan included a mix of Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor who, in a few ways, profiled very similarly.

Among the quests for Stearns this offseason is to determine who’s out of the mix next following the Brandon Nimmo trade. When it comes to Luisangel Acuna and Jeff McNeil, each can have an important yet very different role for the Mets.

The thing is, the Mets don’t really need both of them even with different skill sets brought to the table. It’s a matter of finding alternatives and ranking out the pros and cons. Do they want the big league experience and proven defensive versatility of McNeil or the speed and untapped potential of Acuna?

Luisangel Acuna feels like he’s the odder man out, but how does Jeff McNeil play in a greatly reduced role?

There’s always a scenario where neither of these players are here any longer. Acuna’s defense up the middle isn’t needed. This limits him to pinch running duties. Center field is always one possibility, but with the way the Mets hesitated to put him out there for more than a small dish of innings last year when they could’ve used him badly, it’s hard to imagine much of a commitment to him out there.

McNeil wouldn’t profile as such a bad bench player. Even if he hates it, it’s not up to him. He had the kind of year where a veteran should lose playing time. It’s more of a matter of how he responds as a player with fewer at-bats. Does he go cold? Who does he even take starts away from?

At the moment, the Mets depth chart makes the most sense with McNeil in left field and Acuna on the bench. No one buys that McNeil will actually be a starting outfielder. It doesn’t make the team any better overall. The only acceptable follow-up to trading Brandon Nimmo is to add a top-level outfielder whose offense helps justify the loss. Personally, I feel it requires Juan Soto moving to left field and finding someone who can play right field more efficiently. Anything short of this feels like a rearrange rather than improvement where they seem heavily focused: defense.

McNeil can serve the Mets as a quality 10th man capable of playing multiple positions and helping any injury hurt less. Acuna’s role is what it is and with a Gold Glove winner at his primary position alongside Francisco Lindor at shortstop who is capable of winning one, there isn’t much of him to do other than stretch out his hamstrings. The problem is he doesn’t have much trade value at all and the safer thing may be to hope his bat improves.