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Luisangel Acuña practically matched his total profession stat line in a single sport.
The speedy Mets infielder — who didn’t go deep as soon as in the course of the 2025 season — crushed 4 dwelling runs and drove in seven runs for the Cardenales de Lara in a Venezuelan Skilled Baseball League contest Saturday.
The 23-year-old, who began the sport in middle discipline, launched his first homer within the second inning — a three-run shot that drove in a pair of former Mets: catcher Ali Sánchez and outfielder Rafael Ortega.
His subsequent blast got here within the sixth, a solo shot off former Dodgers pitcher Darien Núñez that pushed the Cardenales’ result in 16–7.
Acuña added one other solo homer within the seventh earlier than capping the night time with a two-run shot within the ninth — this one coming off a place participant — as Lara coasted to a 21–9 win in entrance of 4,728 followers at Estadio Nueva Esparta.
All informed, Acuña completed 4-for-6 with 4 homers, seven RBIs and a stroll, turning into the primary participant in Venezuelan winter league historical past to hit 4 dwelling runs in a single sport.
After struggling on the plate for a lot of his temporary MLB profession, Acuña’s dwelling run derby-esque efficiency in Venezuela was harking back to his older brother, former NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr.
Acquired from the Rangers within the Max Scherzer deal on the 2023 commerce deadline, Acuña entered 2024 ranked by MLB.com because the Mets’ third-best prospect.
The Mets promoted Acuña to the majors on Sept. 14, 2024, and he impressed in 14 video games, slashing .308/.325/.641 with three homers and 6 RBIs.
He carried that momentum into the beginning of 2025, hitting .288/.342/.356 with seven stolen bases and 13 runs scored by way of the top of April, incomes NL Rookie of the Month honors.
However Acuña fell right into a deep hunch in Could and June and was demoted to Triple-A.
The versatile infielder — who performed at second base, third base, shortstop and middle discipline — was recalled July 10 and spent the remainder of the season shuttling between the minors and majors, continuously getting into video games as a pinch runner and defensive alternative.
In 95 video games in the course of the 2025 season, Acuña slashed .234/.293/.274 with no dwelling runs and eight RBIs.
Acuña is out of minor-league choices getting into 2026, which means the Mets would danger shedding him on waivers in the event that they attempt to ship him down.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns praised Acuña’s talent set in November, insisting he doesn’t must be an elite hitter to offer worth.
“Acuña is such a novel participant as a result of the ground is so excessive of what he can present,” Stearns informed reporters on the GM Conferences. “He’s such a great defender, a gifted defender at a number of positions, and an elite baserunner. So the offensive contribution doesn’t must be elite for him to solidify an on a regular basis function on a significant league group.
“I nonetheless have very excessive hopes for him. We have to see a little bit bit extra offensive contribution than we’ve most likely seen beforehand, however he’s a really, superb defensive participant and there’s an actual function for that on a great group.”
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