The Mets got good news and bad news relating to shortstop Wilmer Flores. The breakout infielder has a fractured ankle that he suffered playing winter ball, but is expected to be ready for spring training.

When it comes to the Mets, original diagnoses can’t be trusted on their face. Here are three solutions for their infield should Flores require extra time to get healthy.

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Ian Desmond

Desmond was at one time a potential cornerstone player for the Nationals, but 2015 changed that. Desmond slashed .233/.290/.384 with 19 home runs and 13 stolen bases, while also committing 27 errors. Needless to say, the Nats were okay with him walking.

Desmond has now become a potential steal because of those stats. The errors are a major issue, because he had 25 of them in 2014. Desmond would be signed as a fallback option at short, but the Mets do have an opening for an impact bat at second base, which has been vacated by Daniel Murphy. There is very little downside to taking a flier on Desmond, even if he’s slightly more expensive than other options on the waiver wire.

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Jimmy Rollins

Mets fans may have a hard time stomaching Rollins in blue and orange, but he could be a very valuable reserve. 2015 proved he’s no longer a starting-caliber player, but he hit 13 homers and stole 12 bases, and there’s no reason he can’t deliver quality pinch-hit appearances while making a start here or there.

Rollins was only slightly negative in the field at age 37, and his slippage won’t matter too much behind the Mets’ strikeout-heavy starting rotation. He’s also a World Series champ whose experience can only help a young team that barely missed out on their first World Series since 1986.

Stephen Drew

Drew is proven to be able to handle the scrutiny of the New York media, and he has as good a glove as any in the infield. Drew’s boom-or-bust tendencies at the plate can be extremely frustrating, because the vast majority of the time its bust.

Drew does offer solid power for a middle infielder, which the Mets don’t have much of with Murphy and OF Yoenis Cespedes hitting the road via free agency. He hit 17 home runs, and as long as he isn’t an everyday player, that pop can come in handy off the bench.

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