New York Mets must bench struggling outfielder

Mullins went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in last night's 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, with manager Carlos Mendoza opting to pinch hit for him with Luisangel Acuña despite Mullins' potential to tie the game with one swing of the bat. The Mets have lost 9 of the past 12 games that Mullins has started and he is mired in an 0-for-26 slump, dropping his overall totals with the Mets to a .174 batting average with one home run, eight RBI and a .556 OPS in 92 at-bats.

The Mets had slowly begun to phase out Mullins in late August, giving more playing time to a superior defender in Tyrone Taylor, but Taylor's hamstring injury has given Mullins every day playing time again. Mullins' defense has been below average for the Mets, making the lack of offense he is providing a big problem in very important games down the stretch.

While there is no time table for Taylor to return from the injured list, the Mets could be getting Jose Siri back this weekend, who has a similar skill set as Taylor. It would make sense for Siri to get more playing time upon his return, but the Mets may not have the luxury of waiting until then with their lead in the Wild Card race slowly fading.

The Mets Should Bench Cedric Mullins For Now

With the Mets set to face three consecutive left-handers for the rest of their series with the Philadelphia Phillies, there is a legitimate reason to bench Mullins for a few days. Jeff McNeil has been an adequate defender in center field this season and the outfield at Citizens Bank Park isn't that expansive, making a premium defender less of an issue than it would be in other ballparks.

Putting McNeil in center field would allow the Mets to explore other offensive options, such as putting Acuña in the starting lineup at second base with Brett Baty at third and keeping Mark Vientos as their designated hitter. Starling Marte could also factor into the DH mix, with Vientos going to third base and leaving second open for either Baty or Acuña, both of whom have shown more offensive potential than Mullins has lately.

While the Mets undoubtedly believe in Mullins' track record and his ability to be a contributor to a playoff team, they have to ensure they get to the playoffs first and Mullins isn't helping them at all right now. New York does have some wiggle room in the standings, but Mullins' ill-timed slump means the team needs to explore other options to protect their Wild Card lead as they close out a stretch of 26 games in 27 days at the end of the week.