Cedric Mullins candid about ugly post-deadline Mets tenure
Mullins says his stretch with New York has been challenging as the team fights for a playoff berth, with limited production and shifting outfield duties.
CEDRIC MULLINS acknowledged Friday that his time with the Mets since the trade deadline has been difficult, describing the late-season stretch as an ugly period in his career. On Friday at loanDepot Park, Mullins went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout, a line that extended his Mets numbers to a .183 batting average and a .569 OPS over 41 games. By comparison, he carried a .229 average and a .738 OPS with the Orioles before the trade, numbers the Mets had hoped would translate into steady production as the everyday center fielder.
His role in New York’s outfield has been fluid, and Mullins has watched the job rotate among several teammates as the Mets chase a postseason berth. He opened the season in center, but the position has swung to Jeff McNeil at times, then Jose Siri, and most recently Tyrone Taylor. Taylor started Saturday and is expected to start Game 162 on Sunday as New York presses for a playoff spot in a tight stretch run.
The candid tone from Mullins underscores the pressure surrounding the Mets as they navigate a last-ditch push for the postseason. Entering Friday, the team remained in contention but faced a grueling path, with every game carrying increased significance for a club still evaluating the impact of the deadline addition.
Mullins’ evaluation in Queens has been colored not only by the numbers but by the mismatch between expectations for an everyday center fielder and the realities on the field. The Mets acquired Mullins to stabilize the position and bring speed and on-base potential to the top of the order, but the early returns have been inconsistent. The organizational calculus in late September centers on whether Mullins can still deliver the profile the club hoped when the deal was made, or if the fit will be finalized as a short-term chapter.
For Mullins, the discrepancy between his Orioles-era numbers and his Mets tenure is a salient reminder of how much a shift in environment and role can affect performance. His pre-trade production suggested he could be a steady catalyst, but the Mets have faced multiple lineup shuffles and changes in the outfield configuration as they balanced competitive chances with roster evaluation.
As the season enters its final days, the question remains whether Mullins can still demonstrate the value that attracted New York to a midseason trade. If his Mets tenure ends with Game 162, both the player and the club will have to recalibrate their expectations and plan for the next chapter. Until then, Mullins remains a central figure in a season defined by a high-stakes pursuit of a postseason berth and a controversial midseason move whose full impact may not be known for some time.