The Mets sacrificed both defense and flexibility for power.

When they officially called up slugger Mark Vientos from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday, the Mets also optioned Luis Guillorme, a fixture on the big-league club, to Syracuse to create roster space.

Guillorme, who had not been optioned to the minor leagues since July 2019, has not hit well this season in 27 games (.590 OPS), but he has never been known for his bat. Guillorme is a slick fielder who has played every infield position except first base and was the Mets’ only true backup to Francisco Lindor at shortstop.

In optioning the 28-year-old, the Mets avoided making a more difficult and more permanent move with another veteran. If they had cut bait on Eduardo Escobar, Daniel Vogelbach or Tommy Pham, who are all out of minor league options, they would have had to designate that roster casualty for assignment and likely would have lost him.

“Obviously, [Guillorme] had an option,” manager Buck Showalter said, in explaining the decision, before the Mets hosted the Rays on Wednesday night. “We like Luis.

“I’m not going to commit to anything. He’s a guy that’s capable of helping us, and he’s a major league player in many areas. We brought an infielder for an infielder, and he had an option.”

In choosing to send Guillorme down, the Mets hung on to future flexibility but damaged their current roster flexibility.

With righty-hitting Vientos and lefty-hitting Vogelbach, Showalter has two solid options at DH, but neither has a true position in the field.

Vientos had been playing first base and third base at Syracuse, but has a poor defensive reputation.

The backup shortstop right now likely will be Escobar, who will become the backup at every position around the infield.

Showalter said the conversation with Guillorme was a particularly difficult one.

“It’s kind of the fallout of us not playing as well as we need to,” said Showalter, whose light-hitting club could no longer carry a light-hitting infielder. “It’s not [Guillorme’s] fault completely. All of us share in some of the challenges we’ve faced.”

The Mets, who entered play having scored the eighth-fewest runs in MLB, hope that Vientos, who posted a 1.104 OPS with Syracuse, will be worth it.