At the start of the 2017 season, the Mets had an almost comical number of outfielders for which to find adequate playing time: Yoenis Cespedes, Michael Conforto, Jay Bruce, Curtis Granderson, and Juan Lagares. Of those five players, Lagares had by far the best defensive profile, but also the least promising offensive potential. By season’s end, he would be the last of that group standing.
Lagares started off the year on the disabled list, having suffered an oblique strain late in Spring Training, which kept him out of action until the second week of the regular season.