The Mets are calling infielder Ronny Mauricio again as much as the majors for what’ll be his first MLB motion since 2023, as first reported by Mike Rodriguez. Mauricio missed all the 2024 season after struggling an ACL tear throughout winter ball within the 2023-24 offseason and commenced the 2025 season on the injured listing as he completed up his rehab from the ensuing knee surgical procedure.
Mauricio’s return to the large leagues dovetails with a possible damage for third baseman/designated hitter Mark Vientos, who left final night time’s recreation with discomfort in his hamstring after working out a grounder within the tenth inning. Skipper Carlos Mendoza famous after the sport that it “didn’t look good” for Vientos following that exit and added that the slugger went straight to have imaging carried out. The outcomes of that MRI haven’t but been shared publicly, however Mauricio touring to Los Angeles to satisfy the Mets definitely appears to recommend an IL stint for Vientos could possibly be forthcoming.
Nonetheless simply 24 years outdated, Mauricio has ranked among the many Mets’ prime prospects for upwards of six years now. Initially signed out of his native Dominican Republic eight years in the past, he’s had a comparatively sluggish climb to the majors — granted, largely on account of that damage — however now appears to be like poised for a chance of some observe. He acquired a 26-game cup of espresso late within the 2023 season and batted .248/.296/.347 in his first 108 MLB plate appearances. Had been it not for final 12 months’s knee damage, Mauricio very probably would’ve gotten a bigger alternative in 2024.
The query of the right way to juggle taking part in time and alternatives for the promising younger infield group of Mauricio, Vientos, Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña has loomed over the Mets for a while, however that quartet has by no means been wholesome sufficient concurrently to power the problem. Early this season, Baty more and more appeared to be the odd man out, however he shook off a sluggish begin and has been hitting properly sufficient to chop into Vientos’ time at third base. After gathering solely three hits in his first 10 video games of the season, Baty has tallied 101 plate appearances with a hearty .280/.330/.548 slash (146 wRC+). He’s homered six instances and added three doubles, two triples and a pair of stolen bases alongside the way in which.
As Baty’s bat heated up, each Vientos and Acuña cooled. Acuña’s month of Could was even rougher than Baty’s first week-plus; he hit .204/.252/.222 final month and is hitless in three plate appearances for the reason that calendar turned to June. Vientos, in the meantime, carried above-average manufacturing on the plate into mid-Could, however he’s batted simply .191/.250/.298 in his previous 52 turns on the dish. All of the whereas as that steadiness of taking part in time shifted within the majors, Mauricio was reacclimating to the pains of professional ball and readying for one more alternative — one which now appears to be like to have introduced itself.
Mauricio posted an terrible .125/.176/.188 line with a 35.3% strikeout fee in his first 10 video games again from the injured listing, which have been break up between Class-A and Double-A. Along with his rehab full, the Mets unsurprisingly optioned him to Triple-A relatively than name him up after that efficiency within the decrease minors. A return to Triple-A Syracuse coincided with a return to type on the plate. Mauricio has performed in 9 Triple-A video games and picked up a number of hits in seven of them. He’s ripped three homers and a double, all whereas drawing the identical variety of walks as strikeouts (5) in 39 plate appearances.
The Mets would in all probability have most popular to see Mauricio draw out this sizzling streak a bit longer — each given the extent of his preliminary struggles within the low minors and since he’s but to play on three consecutive days at any level in his return to motion. He’s solely performed on consecutive days six instances since his return to the sphere on April 27. The Vientos damage probably pressured the Mets’ hand, nevertheless. Mauricio could find yourself in a restricted position early on, sharing time at third base with Baty, at second base with Acuña and Jeff McNeil, and at DH with Starling Marte.
