NY Mets: Luis Guillorme is not an everyday player but should play every day

I love the baseball term “everyday player” because it’s so not true for everyone other than Lou Gehrig. Even Cal Ripken Jr. needed to have his moment where he sat for a game. When your dentist tells you to brush every single day, they mean every-single-day. This brings me to Luis Guillorme of the New York Mets. Not an everyday player, he should be playing every day.

Guillorme has gotten a chance to see significant action in 2021 due to injuries on the infield. Playing a bunch of third base and some second base as well, Guillorme isn’t having the type of offensive season many believed he could. After slashing .333/.426/.439 last season in 68 plate appearances, fans of the bearded one were ready to put him in the everyday starting lineup.

This won’t be happening anytime soon. Guillorme is playing well for a backup but he’s not taking anyone’s starting job just yet. Add in some poor defensive metrics at third base and he’s not exactly showing why his name should be among the starting nine.

This doesn’t mean Guillorme should ever spend a game with a clean uniform.

Luis Guillorme’s role with the Mets should have him playing nearly every day

Despite poor metrics at third base, Guillorme remains a more favorable option to finish off the game there defensively when J.D. Davis returns from the IL. Jonathan Villar is good too, when healthy, but I tend to favor his bat a little more. By the time the ninth inning arrives, I would suspect Villar may have already pinch hit.

Guillorme’s bat hasn’t been quite as productive as Villar’s this season nor during the career of each. I know Guillorme hasn’t gotten nearly as many opportunities. However, something very clearly known about Guillorme by now is his lack of power. He’s not the guy you want up at the plate to drive in runs. He’ll only rarely hit one to the wall. When he does, it usually needs to roll.

Weaknesses aside, Guillorme does well what many others do not. I would trust him to lay down a sacrifice bunt. Need someone to work a count? I’m not sure there’s a better guy on the Mets to do this. Seeing multiple pitches in an at-bat and coming away with a walk is a specialty of his.

I understand the enjoyment many Mets fans get from seeing Guillorme play the game. He’s thrilling at times. He does things we don’t see anymore. Nearly perfect hands and a baseball IQ rivaling some of the best, he’s a unique talent to have around.

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Using him appropriately and at the right times is the key to getting the most out of him. This may not mean as many starts as some Mets fans would like to see, but it doesn’t negate the chances of seeing this non-everyday player take the field every day.