A.J. Ewing’s recent slide has shown up in the box score, but it doesn’t look like the kind of thing that should send the Mets into panic mode.
Since the start of July, the 22-year-old has hit .213 with 43 hits in 202 at-bats, along with 3 home runs and 9 RBI. The strikeouts have climbed, too: Ewing has fanned 61 times in that stretch after striking out 44 times before July 1.
That dip has felt more noticeable with fellow rookie Carson Benge pushing for the National League’s Rookie of the Year award, and it has understandably stirred some concern among fans and experts who have viewed Ewing as part of the Mets’ outfield future. Still, the bigger picture matters here. Ewing turned 22 on Aug. 10 and basically made the leap from Double-A to the majors in May.
That’s a steep ask for any young hitter. The Mets were aggressive with him after he played only 46 combined games in Double-A Binghamton between 2025 and 2026 and 12 in Triple-A Syracuse. In other words, he came to the big leagues with very little upper-level seasoning.
Pitchers adjust quickly, and once a player starts finding success, the league starts collecting its notes. Interim manager Andy Green has stayed steady with his young players, and he recently said he feels Ewing is still putting together productive at-bats while trying to work through the slump.
The Mets also made a sensible move by dropping Ewing out of the leadoff spot and into the bottom third of the order. He hasn’t earned the top-of-the-lineup job with his current production, but the at-bats still matter over the final four weeks of the season, especially with his long-term value intact.
Even with the offensive dip, Ewing’s defense keeps him in the mix. He has been elite in center field since arriving from the minors in May, and that glove has helped him pile up 2.3 Wins Above Replacement despite hitting .239 with a .663 OPS. That’s still a useful player, especially lower in the lineup.
And there’s plenty in his minor league track record to suggest the bat will come around. Over the last two years, Ewing was electric at every stop, and his age relative to the level leaves room for real growth. Once he adjusts, the Mets could have a dynamic two-way center fielder for years to come.
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What makes the debate harder is that this is not just about whether Skubal fits, but how the Mets want to balance flexibility, spending and development going forward. The Dodgers are also in the mix, which only sharpens the stakes for New York, because a chase like this can reshape both the payroll picture and the plan for the pitching staff. There is no painless path here, only a decision about how aggressively the Mets want to play it. [Read more 🡒]