Glove Over Bat: The Surprising Metric Keeping A.J. Ewing in the Mets Lineup

New York Mets rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing took over the leadoff spot earlier this summer. In response, he torched MLB pitching at a clip of .789 OPS during his first 222 plate appearances. However, the reality of a whole season forced the 22-year-old into the metaphorical brick wall. Since the All-Star break, Ewing’s .213 average raises flags. Furthermore, the 61 strikeouts and .489 OPS.

Subsequently, interim manager Andy Green dropped Ewing all the way down to the bottom of the order. Worry and concern permeated Queens, which begs the question: Are Ewing’s issues at the plate a long-term issue or part of the process for rookies?

A.J. Ewing steals his 22nd base of the year and goes to third on the wild throw! pic.twitter.com/2YRYRS4naj

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 30, 2026

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While the Mets continue to play well, Ewing continues to struggle. For example, the Mets’ rookie is hitting .166 with zero RBI, one walk, one stolen base, and 5 strikeouts. After starting so well, people thought the transition from the minors would be more seamless. Yet, teams will pick up on tendencies the second time around, and the offerings that Ewing initially saw probably are not the pitches that he currently sees. Despite the Green still possessing faith in Ewing.

“If you are watching the at-bat quality, he’s kind of returning to what he has done for us the first part of the season. We have got to acknowledge those things when they’re happening, rather than just because the box score doesn’t acknowledge them sometimes, because this is a cruel game at times. It was right for us to acknowledge he’s had a number of really good at-bats here recently.”

Andy Green says that A.J. Ewing is dealing with "a ton of bad luck" at the plate:

"He's having better and better at-bats that are more in line with who he has always been." pic.twitter.com/NG5fipmDCE

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 28, 2026

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What will keep Ewing in the lineup are two things. First, the team waived outfielder Luis Robert, Jr. Next, Ewing profiles as an elite defender, as shown by video and numbers, and is an excellent defensive outfielder. Sports Illustrated’s Mike Phillips highlighted what makes Ewing valuable.

“The fact that Ewing is a tremendous defender also makes it easier to keep him in the lineup since he offers exceptional value even if he isn’t hitting. That strong defense has helped Ewing generate 2.3 Wins Above Replacement despite hitting only .239 with a .663 OPS at the moment, which is certainly a usable player in the lower half of the batting order.”

According to Baseball Reference, Ewing’s four errors in 231 chances cement him as a top-flight defender. Furthermore, the range he shows also works in his favor. The average MLB range factor for an outfielder is 2.27. Ewing posts a 2.55, which means he is getting to the balls that many outfielders cannot.

A.J. Ewing lays out to make the diving catch! pic.twitter.com/OlgBokFqpV

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 30, 2026

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‘Before Mets fans want to pull the plug on Ewing, they need to understand that he just turned 22 on August 10. Additionally, before his call-up, he had only played a dozen games at the Triple-A level. Equally important is his ability to play all three outfield spots well and provide excellent athleticism at second base.

The Mets, in the midst of a disappointing season, realized that these games are now for the development of their younger players. Ewing will keep his job due to his glove. The organization hopes that his bat will eventually match it.

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