Like his teammate Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing has experienced a lot of ups and downs early on in his rookie season. After getting off to a fast start following his promotion, he had a rough stretch towards the end of May. However, his numbers have seen an uptick over the recent stretch. Ewing put that on full display in the Mets’ 8-1 win over the Braves, clinching a series win Sunday.

He went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and two runs batted in, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Ewing used the whole field, with one hit going to left, center and right field. A big day for the rookie. It was Ewing’s first home run since May 14, and his first game with two runs batted in since May 29. “It’s impressive how he’s handling himself, especially after a couple of hard games,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.

His numbers in terms of run production don’t jump off the page. Between his debut on May 12 and June 1, the 21-year-old hit just .224/.316/.299. But since June 2, Ewing is slashing .342/.381/.526 with one home run, three runs batted in, four total extra base hits and three stolen bases. Doing a bit of everything offensively, in addition to the defense and speed he has provided in center field, has done wonders for the Mets.

Time will tell how the rest of the season will pan out for the Mets. They are only 5.5 games out of the third Wild Card spot in the National League despite being seven games below .500, but even if this season doesn’t result in a playoff berth, the development of both Benge and Ewing has been a major positive. Not only for the present but also for the future of the franchise.

There was some concern that the team was throwing both of them into the fire by promoting them at such a young age or, in Ewing’s case, during a losing stretch. That has not been the case. Going through stretches of adversity in a rookie season was inevitable. But the way the two of them have bounced back from that is impressive.

There hasn’t been much to cheer about with the 2026 Mets. But one of the few positives in the growth of Benge and Ewing. It has become quite clear that those two are here to stay. And if the Mets can turn things around, especially once Francisco Lindor returns later this month, they will have a big part to play in that. Potentially exciting times on the horizon, with the young guys at the forefront.