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          New York Mets

          Juan Lagares victim of Mets' hit-or-sit pronoucement

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterJul 28, 2015, 06:33 PM ET
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          NEW YORK -- Juan Lagares sits for the third straight game on Tuesday.

          And the reason is simple, according to New York Mets manager Terry Collins: Kirk Nieuwenhuis is performing better.

          Nieuwenhuis went 5-for-7 with one double, four RBIs, a walk and also reached as a hit batter in starts Saturday and Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Meanwhile, Lagares has particularly struggled against right-handed pitching this season, hitting .247 with a .264 on-base percentage and .312 slugging percentage.

          "This goes back to what I said the other day, and that is: Look, the guys who are getting it done are going to be in there," Collins said. "Right now Nieuwy is getting it done. So he's going to play. We're going to try to get Juan back in there. Juan is a big part. But as you guys know, we've talked and talked and talked about what he has to do to get better offensively, especially against right-handed pitching. And we've got to start seeing some of it, because it's crunch time. We've given him every opportunity to try to get himself going. Right now, Nieuwy is swinging good. But this could all change by the weekend."