Desperate times call for desperate measures.
And with the Mets in disarray as they open a homestand Tuesday with the worst record in the majors, they are calling on A.J. Ewing to try to help right their season.
The move, first reported by The Athletic and confirmed by noti.group’s Jon Heyman, means Ewing will make his major league debut Tuesday against the Tigers at Citi Field after just a dozen games at Triple-A.
It comes after another top prospect, Carson Benge, made the Opening Day roster and looked better at the plate recently following a poor start.
The 21-year-old Ewing figures to face a learning curve as well.
He opened eyes throughout last season as well as during spring training.
He was at Low-A St. Lucie just over a year ago and sped through the minor league system to Double-A Binghamton before the season ended.
And after just 18 games at Double-A this year, Ewing was bumped to Triple-A Syracuse, where he continued to produce.
Ewing has played all three outfield positions as well as second base, although he has mostly played the outfield this season and is considered an excellent defensive outfielder.
The promotion comes with the Mets at the bottom of the National League and trying to save their season.
Ewing will be tasked with trying to spark the weakest lineup in the majors.
Asked about his goals heading into the season, Ewing said, “Dominate the level where I’m at.”
Little did anyone know that, just about two months later, the Mets would be flailing at the bottom of the standings, unable to score runs or basically do anything well.
Even without much expectation that Ewing would have an impact in Queens this season, manager Carlos Mendoza paid attention to the 5-foot-10, 2023 fourth-round pick out of Springboro High School in Springboro, Ohio.
“He’s a baseball player,’’ Mendoza said in March. “There’s a lot of different ways he can help a team win a baseball game: whether it’s the way he plays defense, the way he runs the bases [or his] good at-bats. He puts the ball in play and drives the ball. He’s another kid. I don’t think people talk much about him. He’s a good one there.”
If nothing else, Ewing should provide some entertainment on what’s been a deathly boring team.
He swiped 70 bases across the three levels last season, and after putting up an OPS of 1.053 in 18 games with Binghamton this season, Ewing hit well at Syracuse, with an .827 OPS.
Ewing, Ryan Clifford and Nick Morabito were all considered potential additions this season.
Clifford has split time at first base and the corner outfield spots and hit with power from the left side, and Morabito — like Ewing, a speedy outfielder — has been on a hot streak at Syracuse.
But scouts warned against counting on too much, too soon from Ewing or anyone else from the minors.
“They have potential, and maybe one of them could give them something, but none of them are banging on the door to get [to the majors], and they’d be better off with more experience down there,’’ an American League scout said.
With a huge payroll and little to show for it, though, the Mets have opted for a different path and will wait for Ewing’s potential to pay off.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
