Mets' Ronny Mauricio feeling right at home in first game back at Citi Field
Ronny Mauricio of the Mets bats during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Ronny Mauricio -- cap over his heart during the national anthem, tears streaming down his face -- couldn’t contain the emotion upon last week’s return to the majors at Dodger Stadium.
Tuesday night at Citi Field, however, marked a true homecoming for the 24-year-old rookie, who last dug his cleats into the Flushing dirt way back on Oct. 1, 2023 -- two months before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament inside his right knee at the Dominican Winter League.
“There were a lot of sentiments felt over there in Los Angeles for my first game,” Mauricio said through an interpreter before Tuesday’s series opener against the Nationals. “It’s because you’re finally back, and I’m finally able to realize my dreams -- and continue my dreams.
“But at the same time, nothing compares to being here at home. Nothing compares to playing here at Citi Field.”
The Mets intend for him to stick around, too. While Mauricio arrived in L.A. well ahead of schedule from Triple-A Syracuse, due to Mark Vientos abruptly landing on the IL with a hamstring strain, the hope is that his power bat carves out a regular spot, even if that involves rotating around the infield.
Look at the impact he’s already made on the always in-flux third base position. Vientos began the season as the starter, got bumped when Bret Baty -- the superior glove -- suddenly found his swing and now Mauricio, who brings the dual threat of being a switch-hitter, has staked his claim to the spot.
Vientos is gradually making progress, but isn’t close yet and manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday he’s likely to need a rehab assignment at Syracuse before coming off the IL. As for Baty, since the calendar flipped to June, he’s in a 4-for-28 slide with a .444 OPS over those eight games. Both have opened a big window for Mauricio, though it’s plausible when Vientos is ready, that Luisangel Acuna becomes the odd man out due to Mauricio’s versatility at the same positions -- third base, second and shortstop.
Again, this is not what the Mets envisioned for this stage of Mauricio’s development process after not playing in competitive games for more than two years. When his rehab assignment finally ended last month, he only had nine games at Syracuse, a total of 39 plate appearances, well short of what anyone would consider an adequate ramp-up for the next level (despite him going 17-for-33 with three homers and a 1.382 OPS).
But now? The Mets aren’t overthinking it with Mauricio -- just penciling him in the lineup and letting the rookie rip. So far, it’s worked. Through his first five games, Mauricio was hitting .263 (5-for-19) with a 456-foot homer (not a misprint) that rocketed through the thin air at Coors Field. That crazy pop is why the Mets want as much Mauricio as possible, even if many of the people around now -- including manager Carlos Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns -- weren’t here to witness the 117.3-mph double that went into the books as his first career hit back in 2023.
And the Mets are willing to forgive any glove adjustments as long as they get him to the plate on the regular. Tuesday night was his fourth start at third base, but he also filled in for Francisco Lindor when the shortstop had to nurse a broken pinkie toe and took a turn at DH, too. In 2023, Mauricio made his debut during the September roster expansion and primarily played second base, so Mendoza feels comfortable using him at any of those positions, even as he’s getting back to MLB speed again.
“Definitely better [than we thought],” Mendoza said. “After missing the whole year of development, whether at the big-league level or the minor-league level, I feel like he’s very consistent. He doesn’t get too high or too low, especially after a tough start in L.A. where they pitched him tough.
“But just overall, the way he goes about his business. I like defensively the way he’s moving. This is a kid that came up as a shortstop and you can see the actions there -- good hands, angles to the ball, very good arm. Third base is kind of a newer position for him and he’s looked fine there as well.”
In his very limited MLB experience, Mauricio has been more dangerous from the left side, hitting .319 (22-for-69) with three doubles, two homers and 18 strikeouts. For Tuesday night’s assignment, Mauricio was facing a tough lefty in Nats starter MacKenzie Gore, and he was batting only .157 (8-for-51) from the right side with a pair of doubles, a homer and 18 Ks. In his first at-bat Tuesday, Mauricio fell behind 1-and-2 then swung wildly at a looping 82-mph curve for the K.
Watching him during pregame BP, Mauricio was flashing some easy muscle launching balls a dozen rows deep beyond the leftfield party deck, and as you might expect, he claimed to be just as confident hitting righty. But it’s only reasonable to expect Mauricio needing time to get closer to his high ceiling again after being rushed up here.
“I think I’ve finally gotten into the rhythm of things,” Mauricio said. “I’m not all the way there yet. But as the games have been going on, I feel like I’m starting to get it a little more.”
Just getting back to Citi Field was an accomplishment in itself for Mauricio. But only as a first step to bigger things ahead.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
