The beard is back, and so is Guillorme
SAN FRANCISCO – Luis Guillorme went hitless in his first seven games of the season, prompting him to shave off the bushy black beard that had become a staple for him both personally and within the Mets fan base.
A month later, Guillorme’s beard has returned, as has his success at the plate. When asked on Sunday whether he’s thinking of shaving it off again, Guillorme said no. The beard, and he hopes his results, will continue to grow.
“I’ve felt really good,” Guillorme said. “Feel like I’m having consistent at-bats. I’m working the count, I’m getting pitches to hit. So far it’s been really good. It’s been repeatable. That’s the main thing about it.”
Guillorme’s swings have been repeatable because he’s playing more games than he ever has before at the one-quarter mark of any of his five seasons. Guillorme is flashing a .415/.475/.547 slashline with a stolen base in his latest 20 games and 60 plate appearances. Manager Buck Showalter joked that even Guillorme was recently surprised he’s getting so many opportunities to play.
Showalter has utilized Guil- lorme’s strength as a super-utility in- fielder by playing him at shortstop, second, third, and DH in the skipper’s first 43 games. He said Guillorme has told him he’s even ready to step in as catcher in an emergency situation, if needed. Showalter, who had significant time to study his new players this past offseason during the owners’ lockout, said he asked around about Guillorme and the infielder has been “as advertised.”
Added Francisco Lindor of Guillorme’s all-around impact on the Mets: “Every team needs a player like that.”
Most fans who have watched Guillorme’s wizardry in the dirt are no longer surprised by his elite defense. But Showalter continues to be impressed by Guillorme’s hand-to-ball skills. For the final out of the seventh inning of Sunday’s victory over the Rockies, Guillorme flashed his leather and snagged a line drive on one hop before firing to first base for the out. As Showalter noted, third base is the hardest angle to field, and even though Guillorme has played just six games at the hot corner this season, he made that play look easy.
“It’s really hard to do, move around at different angles,” Showalter said. “He’s just a baseball player. A guy that’s always thinking of the game, talking, asking me ‘Stump The Manager’ questions constantly; he’s good at it. He’s engaged. There’s not a lot of people like him.”
Perhaps no one has benefited more from the team’s early May decision to designate Robinson Cano for assignment than Guillorme. Since that May 2 DFA, Guillorme has started 10 games, homering once and posting a .989 OPS across two weeks. Guillorme attributed his success off the bench to familiarity. This is, after all, the 27-year-old’s fifth season in the majors. Guillorme noted that Showalter is the one giving him so many chances to play.
“The more at-bats you get, more consistently, it’s always going to help you,” Guillorme said. “But it’s something that, it’s the position that I’ve been in the past few years. I think it’s just being able to repeat my swing, whether it’s three days in a row playing, or three days of not playing. Even when I wasn’t hitting, when I was going 0-for earlier in the year, I think I was still having good at-bats.”