The struggling Darin Ruf got the start in right field for the Mets on Wednesday night, the third time he has appeared at the position in as many days.
Ruf saw some time in left field in his New York debut last month, but overall has played first base when he isn't a DH for Buck Showalter. Still, regardless of where he has played in the field, the bat has not been productive, as Ruf entered Wednesday's series finale against the Cubs batting .137 since the trade.
Asked about using Ruf in the outfield, Showalter broke down the team's thinking behind the decision.
"Very much like Jeff [McNeil] too, he's played left and right," Showalter said. "Sometimes the angle is the same as playing first base. Jeff I think feels a little more comfortable in right field. He likes both of them and he can play center field. Very much like the last time he played right field a few days ago, he works out there.
"I think in a perfect world, he's probably the most comfortable in left field because he's played it the most, but I also don't want to move Mark [Canha] around because he does a good job in left field. Don't want to weaken us at two spots."
Ruf has only appeared in five games in right field this season entering Wednesday's game, compared to 29 in left field and 33 at first base. McNeil, an All-Star this season, has seen 31 games in left field, five in right, and 92 at second base. Canha has by far the most left field experience, and only six games in right field.
So, neither Ruf nor Canha has seen much time in right field, so Showalter wants to keep Canha in his more experienced position, though many see the bigger problem to be Ruf in the lineup at all given his offensive struggles since arriving in New York.
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