Luis Robert Jr. Moves to Left Field
Luis Robert Jr. is set to make his debut in left field on Sunday, a first in his major league career. Interim manager Andy Green shared this news as the Mets are counting on rookie AJ Ewing to step up in center field, a role they foresee him filling for the foreseeable future.
“I think he’s confident that everything will work out,” Green said, commenting on Roberts’ readiness before the Mets’ match against the Nationals at Citi Field. He noted that Robert had been practicing with outfield coach Gilbert Gomez before the game.
Green anticipates that Ewing, who has been primarily in left field recently, will now play center field more frequently, moving from once every three games to twice in that same span.
Meanwhile, Robert will still maintain his position in center field every third game.
The Mets had actually hoped to trade Robert before the deadline, but when that didn’t happen, they found themselves with two center fielders on the roster. After Robert was placed on injured reserve back in April, Ewing took full advantage of the opportunity and has been performing impressively in that position.
In another note, during his last outing, Kodai Senga conveyed to Green his willingness to pitch on consecutive days if necessary. Although he wasn’t called upon, it highlighted Chiga’s readiness for back-to-back appearances following his stint on the injured list, specifically in a closer role. He successfully made his second save on Friday in that capacity.
“If he’s performing well, we could see him pitch back-to-back games if the situation calls for it,” Green said. “However, I don’t feel we need to rush it just to say he’s on a roll. It will happen when it’s meant to, whether that’s today, this week, or later.”
On a different note, Carson Benge managed to get on base during one of his two at-bats against the Nationals on Saturday, marking his 18th consecutive game reaching base— the second-longest streak for a Mets player this season. The record is held by Juan Soto, who reached base in 18 straight games between March 26 and May 2, albeit with some breaks in playing time.
