Mets’ likely Luisangel Acuña-Brett Baty decision has become even more challenging

The second base decisions have grown more difficult for manager Carlos Mendoza, who is juggling two differently talented and little-proven options. 

Luisangel Acuña is playing well.

All of a sudden, so is Brett Baty, who performed again Friday. 

Acuña has gone 8-for-21 (.381) with a .458 OBP and four steals in his past eight games. 

After reaching base twice, Baty has gone 8-for-25 (.320) with two doubles, a triple, a steal and two RBIs in his past seven games. 

“Trying to find a balance to keep both somehow fresh with game action. They’re both playing well, so it makes it a lot harder,” Mendoza said before the Mets walked off the Cardinals, 5-4, at Citi Field. “But that’s a good problem to have.” 

The problem will take on some added stakes in the coming days. 

Acuña and Baty have been filling in for Jeff McNeil, whose rehab assignment will continue Saturday and Sunday with Double-A Binghamton.

After the back-to-back, it is likely he will be activated — and he likely will kick either Acuña or Baty back to Triple-A Syracuse. 

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That scenario is likely but not definite.

The Mets are carrying José Azocar as a fourth outfielder, and Azocar cannot be optioned without being exposed to waivers. Could Acuña — who has again begun taking reps in center field, where he could help fill in for the injured Jose Siri — assume the backup outfield spot, while Baty becomes the primary backup infielder? 

“Too early to tell. I think we’ll cross that bridge when we have to,” Mendoza said. “They’re both playing well, so I hope that’s the case that it’s going to be a very difficult decision [of who leaves when McNeil joins].” 

Acuña has carved out a role as a part-time player who has begun adjusting to major league pitching, who plays excellent defense really anywhere and can be a valuable late-game pinch-runner.

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He leads the Mets in steals, his sixth coming after pinch-running in the eighth inning.

He then showed off his legs in trying to advance to third on a ground ball to Nolan Arenado, but he overslid the bag and was tagged out. 

His ability to do some of everything — and a lot of running — has prompted the club to seek other avenues to keep him around the big league squad.

He played 31 games at center field with Syracuse last season and has resumed getting pregame reps at the spot. 

Mets outfield coach Antoan Richardson has been working with Acuña since spring training and believes Acuña knows what he’s doing in center.

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There are challenges when an infielder moves to the outfield, where there is far more ground to cover in every direction. 

“He works 360 [degrees], while Acuña the infielder works 180 [degrees],” Richardson said, adding that Acuña has proven a quick study. 

“He’s super athletic and super talented,” Richardson said of Acuña, whose sprint speeds ranked as the seventh-best in MLB entering play. “I think that he has a chance to be special anywhere on the field. If you put him in center field, I think over time, he’ll be special.” 

The Mets hope Baty has the same type of ceiling with his bat. 

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Baty has shown it in the minors, owning an .899 OPS in 94 games with Syracuse.

He has shown it during spring training, when he looked like the Mets’ best hitter and swung his way to an Opening Day spot. 

But he had never replicated the results against major league pitching the way he is now: Baty entered play having recorded multiple hits in consecutive games.

On Friday, he drew his first walk of the season and drilled a double in the fifth inning before coming around to score. 

Could he be figuring it out? 

“In Minnesota, he got to a really good fastball that he was able to hit a hard line drive over the shortstop,” Mendoza said. “[On Thursday], we saw him stay inside of a cutter, going the other way, [then] pulling a pitch down the right field line, using the whole field. 

“When he does that, he’s a pretty good hitter.” 

A week ago, the Mets could not rush McNeil back to Queens fast enough because neither second base option could do anything with the bat. 

Now, Mendoza has wrestled with which hot hitter to bench, giving Baty the majority of reps against righties but inserting Acuña frequently later in games. 

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The lineup decisions are difficult, and it is likely the approaching roster decision will be a tough call, too. 

“I hope that’s the case,” Mendoza said.