DJ Stewart was recalled once again from Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, replacing the injured Jeff McNeil on the roster prior to the series finale against the Reds.

With McNeil expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a fractured right hand, Carlos Mendoza said prospect Luisangel Acuna was in the conversation to get called up from Triple-A, but the organization wants the 22-year-old to continue to play every day — and he would not have done that in Queens.

Not only do the Mets want Acuna to continue to develop in the minors, but the fact that Jose Iglesias has shown few signs of slowing down during his resurgent season made calling up Acuna even more illogical.

Mendoza said the team’s mindset hadn’t changed since the same decision was made to go with Stewart over Acuna when rosters expanded a week ago.

“We need Acuna to continue to play,” Mendoza said before the Mets saw their nine-game winning streak snapped with a 3-1 loss to Cincinnati. “Development is important for him. Right now, there’s not much playing time.”

Mendoza didn’t rule out Acuna at some point down the stretch.

He’s been playing second base, shortstop and center field at Syracuse and entered Sunday 17-for-55 in his previous dozen games, but with just three extra-base hits in that span.

“It’s still fluid,’’ the manager said of Acuna. “Who knows what happens a week from now? He’s playing well and him continuing to be in the conversation says a lot.”

For now, the Mets will rely on Iglesias. Mendoza has watched the 34-year-old’s playing time carefully.

“Three or four [games] in a row is the most I’ve played him,’’ Mendoza said. “If he needs a day [off] in Toronto, we’ll give it to him… We have to monitor him, but he takes care of himself and is doing a good job.”

Iglesias has provided a jolt throughout the season since being called up from Triple-A at the end of May after not playing in the majors since 2022.

“This is a guy, after the career he had, going back to Triple-A, he could have gone home,” Mendoza said. “We asked him to make some adjustments offensively [and] defensively and to his credit, not only has he been a really good player, but a really good teammate.”

With Paul Blackburn back in the starting rotation Monday after missing time with a hand contusion, Tylor Megill is back in the bullpen. He was available Sunday.

Mendoza said David Peterson will follow Blackburn on Tuesday and Sean Manaea will start Wednesday against the Blue Jays.

Francisco Lindor cooled off at the end of the homestand. He’s hitless in his last 11 at-bats while Nimmo also went 0-for-4 Sunday.

Nimmo joked that he would chip in for the Mets to extend the foul pole after hitting a ball over the right-field pole for a second straight game.

Harrison Bader had his first multi-hit game since Aug. 5 with a pair of singles.