Almorashowshe’s not simply a glove
Albert Almora Jr. came to the Mets with a reputation as a strong defensive outfielder, and has certainly backed that up early in spring training.
But the former Cub was also looking forward to a reunion with hitting coach Chili Davis, under whom he had one of his best offensive seasons in Chicago, and the early returns have manager Luis Rojas encouraged.
“Ever since he’s gotten here, he’s talked about working on using the whole field,” Rojas said Wednesday before the Mets lost to the Marlins 3-2 in Jupiter, Fla. “He almost shows up as a pull hitter. Having Chili here is a big plus for him since they’ve known each other for a few years now. I’ve been seeing him working on using the whole field, driving the ball the other way more and more. He’s looking to translate that into the game.”
Almora then went out and did just that, cracking a tworun double to the opposite field to finish off his day in the seventh inning.
More often than not, though, Almora has made his presence known with his glove.
“The defense has been solid,” Rojas said. “His mindset has been the right one in camp. He’s very positive, he wants to win. I think it just goes along with what the rest of the guys are thinking and approaching in this camp.”
Though his exact role this season remains to be determined, Almora has given early indications that he can provide the Mets with a solid option off the bench and a frequent late-inning defensive replacement. The absence of a designated hitter in the National League might put a dent in the amount of at-bats he and Kevin Pillar get, if the projected starters in the outfield, Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo and Dominic Smith, stay healthy.
But Pillar and Almora, who signed after the Mets missed out on George Springer, should give the club stronger outfield depth than it has had in recent years.
“As the roles are not defined, we can get really good production with different lineups that we can put together depending on who we’re facing or how the guys are swinging,” Rojas said. “Those guys, we’re enjoying that they’re so involved and they just want to produce for the team. Once we get closer to the season, we’ll see what the roles are. But we feel pretty good about our depth.”