As per Mike Puma of the New York Post, New York Mets shortstop Amed Rosario began taking fly balls out in the outfield (centerfield, to be exact) ahead of Saturday’s 10-2 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, saying “[the] Mets are considering him as an option out there to provide versatility”
Matt Ehalt of Yahoo Sports reports that Rosario’s “willing to play [centerfield] if needed”, but contradicted reports that he’d “[taken] reps”. He did add that he shagged fly balls a few days ago, chalking it up as “normal work”.
Mets skipper Mickey Callaway commented on the development, telling Tim Britton of The Athletic, “It’s just something we’re thinking about […] Our players being moved around has made us a better team”.
Adding natural-first-baseman Dominic Smith‘s, as well as J.D. Davis‘, suddenly-potent bats to the Mets lineup on a more consistent basis in left field has had its perks, despite some iffy defensive play from both.
Rosario, 23, has had a rough time at his natural position this season. His -13 defensive runs saved and -6.5 ultimate zone rating (FanGraphs) both rank worst among qualified National League shortstops.
At the plate, the Dominican native continues to have trouble finding consistency. His .256/.297/.418 slash line, .301 wOBA, and 89 wRC+ don’t exactly scream offensive powerhouse, but for a still-developing 23-year-old, it’s progress.
From June 1 through June 16, the young shortstop went 10-for-50 (.200 batting average) with a .245 wOBA and 53 wRC+, then over the Mets’ first six games of their 11-game road trip (June 17 through Saturday), Rosario’s gone 9-for-20 with three doubles and three stolen bases. Again, progress.
After being lauded as a Gold Glove-caliber fielder as he made his way through the Mets’ system, the major-league reality just hasn’t equated to the hype.
With potential replacements bubbling their way through the organizational ranks in Andres Gimenez, Ronny Mauricio, and Shervyen Newton, Rosario’s days at shortstop could be numbered.
A move to into centerfield, considering Juan Lagares‘ poor performance at the dish and lackluster — to his standards — play in the field, could have positives for the Mets, especially if Rosario continues to grow at the plate.
We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available.
