A year after being non-tendered by the Mets, Wilmer Flores is back on the free agent market.

Flores, who hit .317/.361/.487 this past season for the Diamondbacks, had his option for the 2020 season declined on Thursday.

The 27-year-old Flores made $3.5 million in 2019 and his 2020 option was worth $6 million (with a $500,000 buyout).

With the fan favorite back on the market, there will be some who clamor for his return to Queens. But there was a reason why the Mets moved on from Flores after the 2018 season. And there are reasons why it would be surprising if they pursued a reunion -- including the amount of infielders the team already has on the 40-man roster.

While Flores can play second base, the Mets have Robinson Cano there. And while he can play first base, the Mets have Pete Alonso there.

That means Flores' main value to the Mets would be as a third baseman/bench player, and that's another area where the Mets are stacked.

As the Mets are presently constituted, it's fair to believe Jeff McNeil will get most of the playing time at third base, with J.D. Davis (who is also a third base option, depending on how comfortable the Mets are with his defense there) getting the bulk of the starts in left field. That could change if the Mets trade Davis, but they still have a glut of infielders on the 40-man roster -- including Jed Lowrie.

The above doesn't mean Flores doesn't have value. He does. But it's hard to see where he would fit on the Mets as they're currently constructed.

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