How Luis Guillorme became an essential part of the team

It was only a few years ago when Luis Guillorme had a reputation as a slick-fielding, light-hitting infielder whose contributions to the New York Mets would suit them best as a late-inning defensive replacement. As seasons have come and gone, he has become much more.

Even before Buck Showalter fell in love with the team’s top utility man (sorry, Jeff McNeil, you’re a starting second baseman that can do some other things), Guillorme was already showing signs of growth. He finished the 2019 season strong at the plate and was even more impressive in 2020.

Not much has changed about how Guillorme can do best other than he is doing it at the big league level. Down on the farm, he was consistently hitting over .300 with OBPs sometimes over .400. While those are high marks to expect from him in a part-time role, it’s safe to expect a slash line around .280/.350/.360 going forward.

Luis Guillorme has become an essential part of the Mets roster

Guillorme has played more major league games this season than in any other year of his career. Last season was his first major test and even that was limited to 69 games and 156 plate appearances. He’s going to have well over 300 trips to the plate this year and will continually get used as a replacement player or even a starter when guys need a day off or they get hurt.

Guillorme has spent a good part of this season playing second base for the Mets during times when McNeil manned the outfield. He has also had innings at third base and shortstop, too. Nothing about him is catching us off guard. Showalter is using him the same exact way his old managers have—only more.

In a lot of ways, Guillorme is a lot like McNeil but with much less pop in his bat and no history of playing the outfield. He probably could learn either corner outfield position. But it’s the way he can already play defense on the dirt that has people already thinking he’ll be the National League’s first utility man to win a Gold Glove.

With the mystery of how the Mets lineup somehow seems to find a way to go silent appearing off in the box score, it’s useful to have someone like Guillorme on the roster. He gives the Mets some of the most consistent good at-bats. When he’s up, you know the pitcher won’t have an easy time.

Guillorme isn’t underrated, undervalued, or underappreciated. For years, Mets fans have enjoyed the little things he did so well for a while now. Finally, it’s being utilized more and in a pennant race.