When the Mets traded for Cedric Mullins at this year's trade deadline, he was supposed to serve as an upgrade offensively compared to the options they had on the roster. However, the outfielder has been stuck in a slump since joining New York and has shown little signs of busting out anytime soon.
Now hitless in his last 25 at-bats after his 0-for-2 night on Monday, Mullins is doing everything he can to get back on track and help the Mets but nothing seems to be working.
"Rough start," he said after the team's 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. "Trying to find that adjustment that kinda gets me going. Felt like I had it at one point, just lost (it) somewhere along the way, but gonna keep working."
In 30 games as a Met, Mullins is slashing .174/.284/.272 with one home run and a .556 OPS. And while he's not necessarily known as the biggest threat at the plate, the 30-year-old did have 15 home runs and a .738 OPS with the Baltimore Orioles before getting traded and has held his own offensively during his career.
Still, all New York was hoping for out of Mullins following the trade was for him to be a step up from what Tyrone Taylor was contributing offensively. Instead, Mullins has struggled just as badly as Taylor has this season.
"I think I’m just trying to focus on contributing to a win," Mullins said. "I think that could be adding a little pressure, but it comes with the territory so (I'm) working diligently each day to get better."
But with time running out and the Mets, losers of three straight and four out of their last five, scuffling to the finish line, they need Mullins to pick it up sooner rather than later, especially with Taylor, the better defender, currently on the IL.
If not, it could potentially force New York to play Jeff McNeil in center field with another option at second base, moving Mullins to the bench.
"We haven’t seen the results," said manager Carlos Mendoza. "He’s a really good player and I know he wants to contribute, but we got to help him because I feel like he’s missing good pitches to hit."
For what it's worth, Mullins believes he can turn things around.
"Eighteen games left, that can be shifted in a positive direction between now and then," he said.
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