Mets: Carlos Gomez deserves to start over Juan Lagares

Center field has been an offensive weak point for the New York Mets for most of 2019. Given the choice between Carlos Gomez and Juan Lagares, the former deserves the chance to play regularly.

Carlos Gomez is on his second stint with the New York Mets after making his MLB debut with the team in 2007. He was a two-time All Star with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2013 and 2014, while also winning a Gold Glove in 2013.

Gomez almost got traded to the Mets in 2015, but a failed physical put an end to that trade. Here we are in 2019 and Gomez is back with the Mets trying to make an impact and bring an energy to a ball club that sometimes looks like it gets caught going through the motions.

With the injury of Brandon Nimmo, you would think Juan Lagares would step up with the chance of playing every day, but it has been the total opposite. Lagares is bringing no offense to the table and that has always been the case with him. He won a Gold Glove in 2014 and you know what you are going to get on defense from him.

The only problem is that right now the Mets need offense and can’t rely on a defensive center fielder because they have been waiting for Lagares to hit for about four years now. Gomez isn’t an offensive superstar but he definitely brings more on offensive than Lagares.

Gomez is more of a power threat and can give you some home runs when you need one and we have seen that so far. His speed is still there and if a ball gets hit into the gap he might be able to turn a double into a triple.

The Mets have given Lagares every opportunity, but he has never been able to take full advantage. The fans are tired of hearing “if only Lagares could hit or he made some adjustments in the offseason.” It has never happened. It never will.

Lagares is probably the best defensive player the Mets have, but Gomez can hold his own out there. He is a Gold Glove winner, he covers a lot of ground, and he has a strong arm. Gomez’s bat plays better than Lagares and that means a lot right now to the Mets.

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In his short time with the Mets, Gomez has shown that he deserves to play over Lagares and should continue to play until Nimmo returns from injury.