ST. LOUIS — The Mets may have to wait on finding out whether Wilmer Flores is a major league player.
Flores got a rare start at shortstop on Wednesday, but manager Terry Collins said he’s content sticking with Ruben Tejada as the starter.
“We’ve got to start winning,” Collins said before the Mets beat the Cardinals 3-2 at Busch Stadium. “We don’t have time to develop players right at the moment, and you would like to for sure, but you can’t just say, ‘Hey, look, I’m going to sacrifice three or four days as we get some of these young guys who haven’t been in the lineup, try to get them going offensively.’ ”
Flores went 1-for-4 on Wednesday and is batting .233 with one homer and seven RBIs in 73 at-bats this season.
“I certainly understand how it’s tough for them to play once every three or four days, I certainly understand it, I certainly get it,” Collins said. “But unless the time comes where all of a sudden we’re going to go with our youngest players and try to get them better, right now we’ve got to try to win some games.
“It’s about going with the guys who are really getting it done at the moment. Ruben, the track record means something — that he’s been at this level. It’s a hard thing, a tough decision to make.”
Travis d’Arnaud will be rejoining the Mets “soon,” according to a club source. The rookie catcher entered Wednesday’s play batting .395 with five homers and 10 RBIs in nine games since his demotion to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Juan Lagares (rib cage) played in a simulated game in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and could be in position to rejoin the Mets next week.
Matt den Dekker was optioned to Las Vegas after the game, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis was called up. The rookie den Dekker was batting only .156 in 45 at-bats.