Asdrubal Cabrera Would Prefer To Play Second Base

The New York Mets are still looking for another starter on the infield and are having trouble figuring out who they want. The new infielder will affect the status of Asdrubal Cabrera, who is currently slated to start at third but could shift to second if the Mets decide to acquire a third baseman. Cabrera is the one person whose opinion on the matter really hasn’t been discussed, but he told Kevin Kernan of the New York Post that he would prefer to play second base if given the choice.

The Mets initially shifted Cabrera to second base last season, a move that infuriated him at the time. Cabrera infamously demanded a trade after being moved to second for Jose Reyes, a move he told Kernan he now regrets. Later in the season, the Mets moved Cabrera over to third base, where he had never played before. Cabrera noted that he prefers to play second base because he has more of a comfort level there, noting that third is “not easy”. The Mets seem to prefer leaving Cabrera at third, but the advanced stats show that Cabrera was shakier at third (six errors and a UZR of -2.6 in 350.1 innings) compared to second (0 errors, 0.9 UZR in 274.1 innings).

Where Cabrera plays will likely depend on who the Mets end up with. If the Mets sign Todd Frazier or Eduardo Nunez as free agents, that will allow Cabrera to play second base. If Neil Walker is re-signed or the Mets trade for Josh Harrison, Cabrera will likely stay at third.