Cedric Mullins Faces Pressure as Mets Seek to Find Their Groove
Cedric Mullins has shown flashes of brilliance in his Major League Baseball career. Regrettably for the New York Mets, his recent performance has been anything but stellar since joining the team in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles at the deadline. Currently, Mullins finds himself struggling, with a dismal .178 batting average and a 63 OPS+, resulting in a bWAR of 0.0. This represents the lowest point in his career, leading many to wonder if he can thrive under the intense spotlight of New York City.
The Stakes for the Mets
For the Mets, Mullins’ struggles are especially concerning. They acquired him not only to bolster their lineup for the remainder of the season but also to fill crucial gaps created by injuries that have plagued the team throughout the year. The expectation was that he would emerge as a key contributor during this critical stretch, making his current performance all the more frustrating.
Unpacking Mullins’ Challenges
The question looms large: What is causing Mullins’ decline? Within the Mets organization, some believe they may have pinpointed the issue.
“I think he’s missing fastballs. Late at times. Fouling them off. Not being able to square them up,” noted manager Carlos Mendoza. “He controls the strike zone, but I think he’s missing a lot of good pitches to hit.”
The difficulty of hitting in Major League Baseball is well-documented, yet Mullins’ inability to connect with fastballs in the strike zone has compounded his challenges.
Path Forward for Mullins
To regain his form, Mullins needs to focus on working himself into favorable counts and capitalizing on fastballs early in those at-bats. If he can return to the consistent hitting that characterized much of his career, there is hope that he can turn things around. However, with the season pressing on, the Mets are running out of time for him to find his rhythm. As the spotlight intensifies, the pressure mounts for Mullins to deliver and help the Mets rekindle their spark amid the challenges they face.
