Moments after Carlos Mendoza praised Luis Ángel Acuña's poise on the field, the rookie made an ugly error that allowed an earned run in the top of the third inning on Tuesday.
But in the bottom of the inning, Acuña erased the mistake with a 109 mph rocket to left-center field for a game-tying double.
He added another run with a single later in the game, then closed out the night with his first career MLB home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Acuna's performance in the Mets' 10-1 win over the Nationals at Citi Field showed why the Mets still believe they're OK, even with Francisco Lindor out with a sore back.
“He's calm. [and] “He's calm,” Mendoza said after the win. “He's a player who deserves to be in the major leagues.”
“I think this is what I got and what he said was not a lie,” Acuna said through an interpreter about Mendoza's comments.
That mindset is one of the things that sets Acuna apart, according to his teammates.
“He's really confident,” said Tyler Megill, who played with Acuna at Triple-A this season. “He plays aggressively. He always comes into the game giving it his all. He likes to swing the bat and he has a fast swing. Nothing has changed since he's been here.”
Not only is Acuña trying to prove himself at the highest level, but he's doing so while playing as the starting shortstop for a playoff-chasing New York Mets team without their most consistent offensive player for much of the season.
“He's integrated right away,” Pete Alonso said. “So far he's been a total pro. He's only played a few games, but I've been impressed with the way he's worked.”
The fast start to his MLB career followed a shaky season in Triple-A, which is one of the reasons it took Acuna until nearly mid-September to be promoted to the majors.
Clearly, he's wasting no time getting acclimated to his new surroundings, and is getting some help from his brother, Ronald, the injured Braves star.
“That confidence comes from my brother,” said Acuna, who speaks regularly with the former MVP and gets advice from him.
“I've been working hard to give my all in Triple-A and now I just want to contribute to the team in any way I can,” Acuna said. “The beginning of the season was tough, but I was able to adjust.”
