A.J. Ewing reminded everyone Sunday why the Mets were eager to promote him from Triple‑A when they needed a center fielder earlier this season.
The 21‑year‑old contributed significantly to an 8‑1 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, falling just one triple short of the cycle.
Known for his speed and defensive prowess, Ewing’s bat had been inconsistent, entering the game with only one hit in his previous 11 at‑bats. Yet he answered with an opposite‑field double in the four‑run first inning, a single to center in the third, and a solo home run to right in the fifth.
Carlos Mendoza praised Ewing’s performance against the tough right‑hander Bryce Elder, calling it “impressive.”
“I just want to be myself and stay as simple as possible,” Ewing said.
“It shows how he handles stuff, especially after a couple of tough games,” Mendoza added.
Mendoza compared Ewing to fellow rookie outfielder Carson Benge, noting that both maintain composure despite the inevitable ups and downs of a debut season.
“Like Carson, you can’t tell if he went 0‑fer or had a good game,” Mendoza said. “His consistency, ability to use the whole field, hit for power, play solid defense, and run the bases show a maturity that’s still developing at the major‑league level.”
In the ever‑shifting Mets rotation, Tobias Myers is slated to start the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, per Mendoza.
Myers, who recently pitched 2 2/3 innings with 36 pitches at Triple‑A Syracuse, could see an expanded role despite the limited workload.
“He’s going to go,” Mendoza said when asked if Myers would be used solely as an opener. “We’ll see how the game unfolds; we have a pitch‑count in mind.”
After Myers, the Mets will determine the next two starters in Cincinnati, with Christian Scott and Nolan McLean in the mix.
Myers, acquired with Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee, has not logged more than two innings in a major‑league appearance since a 2 2/3‑inning outing on May 2.
President of baseball operations David Stearns said on Friday that Myers’ role will be “whatever we need at that point—front‑end starter, swing‑man, you name it.”
Freddy Peralta, coming off a rough start, allowed three hits in the first inning before adjusting his approach, cutting back on his four‑seam fastball and relying more on his curveball, slider, and cutter.
The adjustments helped him work five innings, using 90 pitches.
“I was able to make pitches when I needed to,” Peralta said. “I was looking to get to six innings, but things unfolded differently.”