Mets turn to matchups in center as Jose Siri returns and Cedric Mullins slumps

PHILADELPHIA — The New York Mets announced a shift in their center-field strategy Tuesday, saying they will rely on matchups and the "hot hand" after activating outfielder José Siri from the injured list and amid a prolonged slump by Cedric Mullins.

Siri, who was activated after rehabbing from a fractured tibia, started Tuesday against left-hander Ranger Suárez. Manager Carlos Mendoza said the plan is to use the right-handed-hitting Siri primarily against left-handed starters while deploying the left-handed-hitting Mullins mostly against right-handers, a reversal of the role the Mets envisioned when they acquired Mullins at the trade deadline.

Mullins, who arrived from Baltimore with expectations of being an everyday center fielder, has struggled since the trade. Entering Tuesday’s game at Citizens Bank Park, he was hitting .174 with a .556 OPS with New York and was in the midst of an 0-for-26 slide over his past 10 games. Mendoza said the club will reduce Mullins’ workload if another player is producing.

"Playing the matchups, playing the hot hand, whatever you want to call it," Mendoza said. "We’ll go from there."

Siri brings a defensive profile that the Mets hope can help late in games. The 30-year-old has a reputation for flashy play in center and a strong throwing arm. He fractured his tibia 10 games into the season and, after several setbacks, completed an eight-game rehab assignment at the minor-league level before being recalled. Siri hit .269 with a .783 OPS during stints with Low-A St. Lucie and Triple-A Syracuse this season. "That leg is completely healed," Siri said through interpreter Alan Suriel.

The roster shift comes as the Mets continue a tight late-season push for the postseason and search for stability in center field. New York’s group of center fielders entered play with a combined .601 OPS, the fourth-worst mark in Major League Baseball and one that was buoyed by Jeff McNeil’s .857 OPS in 99 plate appearances at the position. McNeil, however, is primarily an infielder and is expected to receive only spot starts in center.

Other options exist on the roster and in the near term. Outfielder Tyrone Taylor, sidelined with an oblique strain, could begin a rehab assignment next week. Mendoza also said the team considered — and the organization ultimately decided against — promoting recently acquired prospect Drew Gilbert, who has since debuted with the San Francisco Giants after being part of a prior trade.

Co-hitting coach Jeremy Barnes said the club’s work with Mullins has focused on simplifying his swing and becoming more direct to the ball. Barnes suggested Mullins’ better numbers against left-handed pitching earlier in the season stemmed from an automatic shortening of his swing when facing same-sided pitchers. "When you have a lot of length in your swing or you’re having to make moves back here [in the load], you then have to compensate for those out in front of your body," Barnes said. "Whether it’s mental or not, he gets more direct [against lefties] because he has to."

Mullins, an All-Star with Baltimore in 2021 who entered the season with a .738 OPS before the trade, acknowledged he has been trying to find a consistent adjustment since arriving in New York. After being lifted for a pinch hitter following another poor game Monday, Mullins said he had made tweaks at the plate that briefly worked but that he had lost them.

With roughly two and a half weeks remaining in the regular season, the Mets said there is still time for Mullins to regain form and earn a regular role in a potential postseason lineup, but opportunities will be scarcer. Mendoza emphasized that playing time will go to those who perform and that the team will prioritize defensive late-game replacements and pinch-running speed when constructing lineups.

Siri’s immediate role could be that of a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch runner; his speed and arm strength make him a candidate for high-leverage defensive assignments. If he can replicate those skills regularly at Citi Field and on the road, he could see increased innings in center.

The Mets’ decision to adjust center-field usage underscores the club’s urgency in a playoff race and its willingness to shift from the original plan that envisioned Mullins as an everyday player. Managers and coaches said they will continue to monitor matchups and hot streaks as the team navigates the final days of the regular season and prepares for the postseason push.