Luisangel Acuña’s MLB career is only eight games old, but he is certainly making his impact felt in the thick of the Mets’ playoff push.
The 22-year-old belted a solo home run in the second inning on a first-pitch curveball from Phillies All-Star Ranger Suarez to give the Mets a 2-1 lead in an eventual 6-3 win at Citi Field on Saturday.
Acuña, whose reputation mostly centered around his defensive versatility and speed, now has three home runs in the majors as he seems to have discovered some untapped power.
“To be honest, I don’t know [where it came from],” Acuña told reporters after the game through an interpreter. “The only thing I’m doing is I’m going up to the plate, I have my best plan and I’m trying to execute my best plan.”
Acuña finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk and double. He is now 10-for-26 (.385) with three home runs, two doubles, a triple and six RBI after a minor league season where he slugged just .355.
“I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be here,” Acuña said. “At that point I was just focusing on my season, trying to get better, like I say a grain of sand to try and get better. Now I am here, trying to do everything I can to help this team win and I am grateful for that.”
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has certainly been impressed with not only Acuña’s ability to turn things around at the major league level, but to also do it in high pressure games, too.
“It says a lot,” Mendoza said. “I don’t think you can predict how guys are going to react when you put them under the lights. The big lights. It looks and feels like he’s been with us the whole year. Not only with the players, the coaches … delivering him the same messages at the Triple-A level. There’s consistency here. That’s important to continue to allow him to play that way.”
While Acuña is turning heads with his sudden power, it’s his defense that has particularly struck Mendoza.
“The play that impressed me was ninth inning against [Trea] Turner,” Mendoza said. “The ball took a funny hop and as an infielder you’re probably going to stop your feet, he just kept going, backhanded with ease and made that play look really easy. In the dugout, we’re saying it shouldn’t be that easy. [Francisco] Lindor makes it look easy…Acuña? Yeah, we know there’s talent there, but with a plus-runner, that’s incredible.”