Everyone knows two wrongs don’t make a right. But could one aberration maybe offset another?
Two days after slick-fielding Luis Guillorme uncharacteristically committed three errors in a game, the fill-in shortstop managed to do something Wednesday that has been just as rare throughout his baseball career: He homered.
Guillorme hit the third of the three Mets home runs, which accounted for all the scoring, in a 7-0 victory over the Reds at Great American Ballpark. It was just his second home run in 156 career MLB games (282 at-bats) to go with the 12 he launched over 618 games, 2,263 at-bats and eight seasons in the minors.
“I get messed with all the time,” Guillorme said of being teased by teammates for his power numbers. “You get used to that after a while. It’s been my whole career. It’s always good not to have a zero in the home run column.”
Guillorme spoke after the game with the Mets’ passed-around WWE championship belt draped over his left shoulder, courtesy of Dom Smith. It has become common practice for the Mets to use the belt to acknowledge rebounding from adversity.
“I’m telling you: We love this guy,” Smith said of Guillorme. “He works his butt off. He could hit many more [home runs], but he’s a good spray hitter. It’s really good to see him get that one — and it probably won’t be the last one he hits this year. I promise you.”
The Mets survived Guillorme’s three errors (two on one play) to win, 15-11, on Monday. He reached base three times amid his defensive nightmare Monday before he pinch hit and subbed in at shortstop Tuesday. Guillorme returned to the starting lineup for the series finale Wednesday afternoon.
“He’s a big part of this team,” Smith said. “Every time he gets an opportunity, he’s prepared. It just goes to all the work he puts in. Obviously he didn’t have the best night [Monday], but we know how talented he is at shortstop. And we know what he can do with the bat. We just wanted to pick him up because he picks us up so much throughout the course of the season.”
Known for his quick hands, Guillorme committed just one error on 151 total chances in the majors at shortstop, second base and third base from 2018-20. He and Jonathan Villar are sharing time at shortstop in the absence of Francisco Lindor, who is on the injured list with a right oblique strain.
“Having that night wasn’t easy,” Guillorme said. “But I always look at it as there are two sides to the game. You can’t make your defense translate to your offense. I figure I wasn’t doing it on defense. I might as well try on offense.”
Villar’s second-inning home run put the Mets in front, and Smith’s third-inning grand slam extended the lead to 5-0. Guillorme, who finished the game at second base to give Jeff McNeil a breather, lined a four-seam fastball 391 feet over the fence in right-center field in the fifth.
“Everybody is doing everything,” Guillorme said. “It hasn’t been a one-guy show. Everybody has done something to contribute to the offense the past few games.”
