Around the time the Mets were getting the news that center fielder Jose Siri is going to miss significant time due to a fractured tibia, second baseman Luisangel Acuña had a game at the plate that you can dream on.
On a chilly, rainy night against the Twins on Monday in Minnesota, Acuña was all over the place.
In the third inning, Acuña walked, stole second base, and scored on Pete Alonso's two-out single.
In the fifth, Acuña stroked an opposite-field double down the right field line.
In the seventh, Acuña led off by dropping a perfect bunt between the pitcher and third base, and came around to score on Juan Soto's two-run blast.
Acuña's big night was a continuation of a hot stretch, with him tallying six hits in his last 14 at-bats after a slow start at the plate.
Overall, Acuña is still getting his legs under him offensively, but he has a solid .343 OBP and OPS+ of 104.
He still has just 75 big league plate appearances under his belt. And, as David Stearns explained before the season, remains an unfinished product at the plate. But with Siri going down and Jeff McNeil nearing a return, it's fair to ask — could Acuña become part of the Mets' center field plan?
As things currently stand, the Mets have three other players on the active roster who are capable of playing center.
The one who will likely continue to get the bulk of the starts there is Tyrone Taylor, who had an average season offensively last year (99 OPS+) while providing elite defense. But he has struggled in a big way at the dish in 2025, slashing .158/.179/.211 in 39 plate appearances over 10 games while posting an OPS+ of 13.
Brandon Nimmo, the starting left fielder, could also get time in his old home in center, but it's hard to envision the Mets shifting him there when you consider how deliberately his legs are being managed in an effort to keep him fresh for the long haul.
Then there's Jesse Winker, the regular DH. While Winker has experience in center, he hasn't played there since 2021, and hasn't seen regular playing time there since 2019.
As far as options in the minors, there aren't any who are currently on the 40-man roster. One intriguing name is Drew Gilbert, who has mashed in 24 at-bats this season. But he is still getting back into playing shape in the lower minors after an injury-plagued 2024, and hasn't even returned to Triple-A Syracuse yet.
Additionally, while Gilbert has gotten the bulk of his starts in center field since joining the Mets, SNY contributor Joe DeMayo noted in his new top 30 list that most scouts believe his best long-term fit will be in right field.
Jett Williams should stick in center (or at second base), but he's still with Double-A Binghamton, and a call up to the majors isn't on the immediate horizon.
So … can Acuña help out in center with Siri out?
There is an easy argument to make both for or against it.
On the for side…
Once McNeil returns, Acuña could be squeezed out of getting regular at-bats. So if he remains on the 26-man roster, it would make sense to find a legitimate role for him. It would also be wise to be proactive with a different option in center if Taylor continues to struggle offensively.
And it wouldn't mean throwing Acuña into the fire without experience.
Acuña started getting time in center field in the minors in 2023, and played 35 games there over 289.0 innings in 2024.
On the against side…
An emphasis for the Mets under Stearns has been elite defense in center field, and it's even more important now with Soto in right field.
That kind of philosophy isn't something you abandon, especially during a year where the team is expected to contend for a championship.
Additionally, while Acuña has a solid amount of experience playing center, he hasn't yet done it in the majors.
We'll know soon enough whether the Mets have Acuña in mind as part of the center field solution while Siri is out. But it's an intriguing option to keep an eye on — whether it happens now or down the line.
