As the Mets enter the final month of the season, there is more than enough of a sample this year to state the following. Wilmer Flores deserves to be an everyday player, most likely as the starting second baseman, when the Mets open 2018.
Let’s start with what Flores has accomplished. In 2017, he has shown a sizable improvement against right-handed pitching. Flores slashed .232/.289/.353 against righties in 2016. Entering September of this year, that line has jumped to .260/.305/.449. 10 of his 17 home runs this year have come against right-handed pitching. Plus, we’ve all seen his consistent ability to hit southpaws (.