Kevin Pillar is essentially the player the Mets hoped Juan Lagares would evolve into. Yes, Lagares would always be challenged as far as getting on base at a strong clip, but the Mets saw the potential for more power and steals to go along with quality defense in center.
That never came for Lagares. If anything, his offense regressed last season and the Mets declined his $9.5 million option for 2020, deciding to try to find a better all-around option. And now there is Pillar — born two months before Lagares in 1989 — sitting on the market.