A.J. Ewings fearless response to Mets mini-slump encouraging

On Saturday, interim manager Andy Green promised that A.J.Ewing would “punch back” amid a minislump.  Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.

The rookie outfielder may have been listening, because he has responded in a major way. At the time, Ewing was in a 3-for-22 slide with eight strikeouts.He was expanding the zone after being so patient early on in his big league career.

Since then, he has found his groove, going 5-for-10 with five runs scored and three stolen bases.The Mets lineup won all three games he started — Ewing was given the nightcap of Wednesday’s doubleheader off against the Braves. “I feel good and have felt good about him as a competitor,” Green said before the Mets opened a four-game series against the Marlins at Citi Field on Thursday night.

“He doesn’t carry a lot of fear with him into the batter’s box.As I mentioned, you go through stretches throughout the course of the season where walks come in bunches, strikeouts come in bunches, home runs come in bunches.

It was just a matter of time before he had more winning at-bats.We saw that the last couple of days.

He doesn’t take fear into the box.He’s in a good spot right now.” Ewing, 21, has been a major bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for the last-place Mets.

Along with fellow rookie outfielder Carson Benge and young starting pitchers Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton, Ewing has provided reasons to believe a better future is ahead in Queens. In 68 games, Ewing is slashing a solid .273/.344/.417 with a .762 OPS, seven home runs and 14 stolen bases.He has a WAR of 2.7, according to Baseball-Reference.The Mets’ fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft has become a mainstay in the leadoff spot and has impressed in the outfield.

This wasn’t expected, with Ewing starting the year at Double-A Binghamton.Injuries and underperformance forced the Mets�...