Acuna went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and a solo home run in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Phillies.
The 22-year-old has been on fire since getting promoted last weekend, batting .385 (10-for-26) in his first eight big-league games with six extra-base hits, including three homers. Acuna's power display is especially impressive considering he hit only seven home runs in 131 games at Triple-A this season. Francisco Lindor (back) should return to the lineup any day now and reclaim the starting job at shortstop, but with a playoff spot on the line, the Mets could keep Acuna's red-hot bat in the lineup at another position.
Acuna went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional RBI and two total runs scored in Wednesday's 10-0 win over the Nationals.
This was Acuna's third multi-hit effort in five major-league games, and he has homered in consecutive contests. He's filled in admirably at shortstop while Francisco Lindor deals with a back injury. If Acuna continues to hit well, he could push for playing time somewhere else once Lindor returns, though he'll have to stay hot at the plate with the Mets in the thick of the wild-card race.
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Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Shines as Lindor replacement
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Acuna went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, two RBI and two additional runs in Tuesday's 10-1 win over the Nationals.
Though Jose Iglesias assumed leadoff duties for the second game in a row while the Mets' usual table setter, Francisco Lindor (back), was on the bench, Acuna stepped in at Lindor's usual spot at shortstop. The rookie made the most of his second career start, providing a spark at the bottom of the order and matching Iglesias' output with three hits. After an MRI revealed no structural damage to his back, Lindor said that he anticipates returning to the lineup later this week, so Acuna may not have many more chances to build on Tuesday's excellent performance.
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Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Officially promoted
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The Mets recalled Acuna from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday.
With a .654 OPS at Triple-A, Acuna should be considered unlikely to force his way into the regular lineup as he reaches the majors for the first time in his career, but he's proven to be a similar threat on the basepaths to his older brother, Ronald. The 22-year-old will take the place of DJ Stewart on the active roster and give the Mets some versatility while Francisco Lindor deals with a back injury.
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Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Headed for Queens
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The Mets will recall Acuna from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
Acuna has been unimpressive at the plate during his first season at the Triple-A level, slashing .258/.299/.355 with seven homers and 50 RBI, though his 40 stolen bases is certainly appealing from a fantasy perspective. Despite his offensive struggles, he'll head up to the majors to provide the big club with some additional infield depth while Francisco Lindor manages a lower-back injury. Eddy Alvarez will most likely get the starting nod at shortstop if Lindor needs to miss any time, though the speedy Acuna could see action as a pinch runner.
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Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Makes cameo off bench Saturday
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Acuna (foot) came off the bench and went 0-for-1 while playing four innings at shortstop Saturday in Triple-A Syracuse's 7-1 loss to Columbus.
Acuna was scratched from the lineup ahead of Thursday's game versus Columbus due to a foot injury, and while he has yet to return to the starting nine, his ability to enter the game off the bench Saturday suggests he'll avoid a trip to the 7-day injured list. The 22-year-old infielder is hitting .262/.311/.357 with five home runs and 31 stolen bases over 98 games with Syracuse this season.
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Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Scratched with foot injury
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Acuna was removed from Thursday's lineup for Triple-A Syracuse due to a foot injury, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
The Mets haven't shed light on the severity of Acuna's foot injury, so he can be viewed as day-to-day. Acuna hasn't hit particularly well with Syracuse this season, maintaining only a 73 wRC+ and .303 wOBA across 442 plate appearances.
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Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Heating up for Syracuse
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Acuna is slashing .303/.344/.371 over his last 20 games for Triple-A Syracuse with eight steals in 10 attempts and a 13.5 percent strikeout rate.
The 22-year-old had a rough start to his season and headed into May with a .224/.276/.367 line and a 21.0 percent K rate, but Acuna has found a groove over the last few weeks. Per Will Sammon of The Athletic, he's worked on shortening his swing and reducing his leg kick, and the tweaks seem to be paying dividends. Should the 22-30 Mets become sellers this summer and ship out veterans like Starling Marte and Jeff McNeil, it could open up a spot in the majors for Acuna.
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Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Optioned to Triple-A
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Acuna was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
The 21-year-old was with the Mets for the first couple weeks of big-league camp but will now move over to the minor-league side of spring training. Acuna immediately became one of the Mets' top prospects after being acquired from the Rangers in the Max Scherzer trade in July, and a strong showing at Syracuse this season could set up the young infielder's MLB debut later in the year.
Mets' Luisangel Acuna: Could be option at second base
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Acuna will split his time in big-league camp this spring between shortstop and second base, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Two of the Mets' top prospects, Acuna and Jett Williams, are shortstops, but with Francisco Lindor under contract through 2031, both younger players will likely have to shift elsewhere on the diamond when they get to the majors. Williams will get reps in center field this spring while Acuna appears ticketed for the keystone, a path which could get him to Queens a little quicker as Jeff McNeil deals with a partial UCL tear in his left (non-throwing) elbow. The elbow issue doesn't seem to be currently hampering the veteran, but McNeil also regressed at the plate in 2023 even before getting hurt. Acuna, acquired from the Rangers last July in the Max Scherzer deal, slashed .300/.364/.424 in 121 Double-A games last season between Frisco and Binghamton with 10 homers and 57 steals.
The Rangers traded Acuna to the Mets on Saturday in exchange for Max Scherzer, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
Acuna, who is the younger brother of Atlanta All-Star Ronald Acuna, was one of Texas' top prospects and will also be one of the top players in New York's farm system. The 21-year-old shortstop has a .323/.384/.472 slash line and 42 steals in 84 games at Double-A this season, so he could move up to Triple-A before the end of the campaign.
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Rangers' Luisangel Acuna: Streaking at Double-A
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Acuna has a 13-game hitting streak going at Double-A Frisco and is hitting .411 with one home run, four steals and seven strikeouts over that stretch.
An undersized yet dynamic athlete, Acuna has seen most of his time at shortstop this season while also getting starts at second base and center field. He is slashing .315/.371/.447 with six home runs, 34 steals (on 37 attempts) and a 19.2 percent strikeout rate for the RoughRiders. Given how set the Rangers seem up the middle, Acuna could be trade bait at the deadline, which might be why he hasn't been promoted to Triple-A yet.
