Wilmer Flores was slated to get the start at the hot corner on Sunday at SunTrust Park, before rain spoiled the occasion.
It’s been a tough reality for Flores, who debuted for the Mets in 2013 and still doesn’t have a defined position. Regardless, he has picked up a first base glove frequently this year and has appeared in 18 of the team’s first 20 games.
The 26-year-old wants an everyday role on this team, but has responded when called upon in a reserve capacity. Still, it’s something he’s still not used to.
“I’ll never get used to it. You never get used to it,” he told the New York Post prior to Sunday’s rainout with Atlanta. “… I don’t think that [anybody] wants to be on the bench. Everybody wants to be out there. But I contribute to the team and that’s what’s important.
“I know that I can help the team win, so I’ve got to stay ready for whenever I’m playing.”
The Mets inked third baseman Todd Frazier to a two-year deal this winter and brought in reclamation project Adrian Gonzalez on a one-year pact. Those two veterans coupled with incumbents Asdrubal Cabrera and Amed Rosario left Flores without a full-time role.
When he has played, however, he has strung together some solid numbers. In 42 plate appearances, Flores has hit .263/.333/.474 with two home runs and five RBI. One of those long balls was a walk-off on Jackie Robinson Day last Sunday, his third game winning home run as a Met.
“What makes him special, No. 1, is he can hit off the bench,” said Mets bench coach Gary DiSarcina. “He’s done it numerous times when he’s stepped in and had a great plate appearance for us and stepped up in different situations. The ability to not play for two days and then have a start at first base, or third base, or second base, and move him around, those are special players. I don’t think you really realize it until you get on the coaching side of it.”
Mets fans have embraced Flores ever since he was nearly traded to the Milwaukee Brewers along with Zack Wheeler for outfielder Carlos Gomez at the 2015 trade deadline. When the deal was nixed, Flores responded two days later with his first walk-off homer in blue and orange against the rival Washington Nationals.
“They definitely make it easier, because it’s just easier when you know they have your back,” Flores said of the fans. “They’re always cheering for you. Every day, you try to do something good for them, to give back. It’s definitely fun when they’re supporting.”
For Flores, the young infielder has established himself as an important piece to the team’s success, whether he is starting or coming in off the bench. While he would prefer the former, he tries to stay positive by performing when he’s called upon.
“It’s hard waiting. ‘When am I going to get in there?’ ” Flores said. “But I think about the opportunity, not the obligations.”
