Ronnie Mauricio’s Situation with the Mets

Ronnie Mauricio seems to have fallen off the radar in the Mets’ lineup, and manager Carlos Mendoza isn’t trying to hide that fact.

“It’s a challenging position for him, and it’s equally tough for me,” Mendoza remarked after the Mets lost to the Padres 7-4 on Wednesday night at Citi Field.

In September, the rookie has only seen four at-bats, all as a pinch hitter. His last start was on August 24th at third base against Atlanta, and since then, he hasn’t seen much action.

Competition for playing time is fierce, with Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Starling Marte all vying for positions in the batting order. Marte has been taking the designated hitter spot, which has pushed Vientos into the starting lineup instead of Mauricio.

In August, Mauricio struggled, posting a low .410 OPS, contrasting sharply with his earlier success during the summer months. The Mets also have Louis Sanger Acknya available as an infield option, who mainly focuses on pinch running and playing defensively.

“It’s not easy for a young player,” Mendoza noted about Mauricio’s situation. “But he’s handling it like a professional.”

On another note, Francisco Alvarez caused some panic on Tuesday when he injured his left arm but fortunately returned to the starting lineup. Mendoza expressed relief, saying, “It’s incredible. I honestly thought he was done when I saw it happen.” He clarified that Alvarez initially seemed to have a triceps issue rather than an elbow problem.

Additionally, Lewis Torrens was activated from the injured list, while Hayden Senger went down to Triple-A Syracuse. Torrens had been sidelined for ten days with forearm issues.

Lastly, Tylor Megill is currently under evaluation as the team assesses options regarding his right elbow troubles.