Back in 2015, the New York Mets almost made a trade to acquire Carlos Gomez from the Milwaukee Brewers as the last piece of a championship-contending team.

At the time, Gomez was coming off two-straight All-Star seasons in which he hit a combined 47 home runs and stole 74 bases. He had also won a Gold Glove for his defense in center field back in 2013, as Gomez became the five-tool superstar he was always projected to be when he was a top Mets farmhand.

That deal was then infamously nixed at the last minute though, after the Mets grew concerned over Gomez’ medical history. It ended up being one of the best trades that the Mets never made, because both Zack Wheeler and Wilmer Flores would have gone to the Brewers in that deal. Flores would go on to hit one of the most memorable walk-off home runs in Mets history days later, becoming a folk hero of sorts and would forever be remembered for his clutch hits in Mets lore.

By not making that deal, it also left the door open for the Mets to acquire Yoenis Cespedes in a different trade the next day. Cespedes was the perfect addition for that Mets team, hitting 17 home runs and 44 RBI in 57 games down the stretch to propel New York to an NL East division crown.

Cespedes would go on to produce another great season the following year, hitting .280/.354/.530 with 31 home runs and 86 RBI, leading the Mets to back-to-back playoff appearance for just the second time in team history. Cespedes was rewarded with a four-year $110 million contract to become the Mets franchise player.

Unfortunately, that deal has not worked out for the Mets, as Cespedes cannot stay on the field. The most recent injury to Cespedes is a fractured ankle after he took a violent fall on his ranch in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where he was supposed to be rehabbing a separate heel injury.

While Cespedes has struggled to even get on the field in recent years, Carlos Gomez has simply struggled to produce when given his opportunities to play. But now after stints with the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Rays, Gomez has returned to the New York Mets for the first time since 2007.

Unless of course, you count those 15 minutes at the deadline in 2015.

Gomez was thrilled to be back in New York and made some rare history on May 21 when he doubled in a run in the third inning. By recorded his first hit back in a Mets uniform, Gomez put himself into the record books.

Furthermore, on Thursday, Gomez hit a game-winning three-run homer against the Washington Nationals on the same day it was announced that Yoenis Cespedes got season-ending surgery.

Gomez is not expected to be the same impact player the Mets were trying to acquire in 2015. Instead, Gomez is here to play a role and part of that role is being a great clubhouse guy that takes pride in wearing his Mets colors.

It is also fitting that he was called up last week to replace a disgruntled Keon Broxton on the roster. Broxton was complaining about his role and playing time just a day before he was designated for assignment to make room for Gomez.

At this point in his career, the latter is more willing to accept that minimal role and has the experience to succeed in it. He may not be the kind of impact player that Cespedes would have been had he returned this year, but Gomez is all of a sudden an important part of this team.

Hopefully, Gomez can make the most of this opportunity, as he writes the last chapter in one of the more interesting careers for any Mets player.