Mets third base quagmire will test the team’s depth at the position

The New York Mets had a successful offseason when it came to building a well-rounded roster. They focused primarily not only acquiring talent in the field but also making sure that the players behind them were adequate enough to come in and back them up if the situation called for it. Considering the Mets injury history as a whole, planning for key players to get injured was the most prudent course of action.

The Mets did manage to accomplish this in the offseason. Armed with a treasure trove of valuable veterans, the Mets on paper have the depth to withstand injuries to key players.

Injuries to Luis Guillorme and J.D. Davis will test the Mets depth at perhaps their weakest position in the field.

Their depth is going to put to the test following injuries to infielders Luis Guillorme and J.D. Davis. What makes their injuries more crushing is that both play third base, a position that was a question mark heading into the season because of Davis’s defensive deficiencies and whether Guillorme’s performance in 2020 was an aberration. So far this season, Davis’s defense has been an issue and Guillorme himself has made several miscues at the hot corner, raising concerns about whether the Mets will need to look at the trade market in July for a better, consistent option.

However, with all that being said, the biggest issue that the Mets have right now is that their offense is mostly scuffling. That is where the losses of Luis Guillorme and potentially J.D. Davis (who is day-to-day) will hurt the team. Guillorme, in limited plate appearances, holds a slash line of .333/.478/.333 with an OPS+ of 136. Davis, despite his defensive ineptitude, has been very valuable offensively thus far, which has kept him in the lineup and has masked his defensive limitations. Davis currently has a slash line of .390/.479/.610 with an OPS+ of 206, one of the best marks in the majors.

With both of them out for the time being, Jonathan Villar becomes the de facto starter at the hot corner. Villar is a capable veteran, having been a starter in the infield for several teams before joining the Mets this offseason. However, unlike Guillorme and Davis, Villar has been struggling offensively, especially in his last seven games. Over the course of those seven games, Villar is 1-for-12 with four strikeouts. With the Mets already struggling to score runs, Villar, like the other starters, is going to have to get it going at the plate in a hurry.

To back Villar up, the Mets have also recalled Jose Peraza from the alternate site. There is a strong possibility that Peraza may not see the field (especially if Davis manages to avoid a second stint on the IL), but he gives Mets manager Luis Rojas another option on the bench. Peraza may be valuable as a pinch hitter late in games, because as a switch hitter, he would be able to match up with any pitcher who takes the mound.

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With several Mets banged up, the time for an offensive rejuvenation is now. Keeping an eye on how the Mets depth performs over the next week or two will be crucial to them pushing themselves over the .500 mark and become the offense fans have the right to expect.