NEW YORK -- While doing due diligence on a potential trade for Yoenis Cespedes, New York Mets officials came to believe he did not want to play center field. So manager Terry Collins was pleased to learn in a face-to-face meeting with Cespedes on Saturday that the ex-Tiger actually likes that position.

Cespedes will make his Mets debut on Saturday against the Washington Nationals in left field, because that's the position he played with Detroit and Collins did not want to put too much on Cespedes' plate as he gets acclimated to new surroundings. But the manager said he now plans to use Cespedes on a regular basis in center field beginning as soon as Sunday's series finale against the Nats.

That would largely alleviate the need to use Curtis Granderson in center field, although Collins said he had faith in Granderson at that position and could insert Juan Lagares late with a lead. Granderson starts in center field on Saturday.

Optimally, Collins indicated, Cespedes will start in center field against right-handed pitching and Lagares will start in center against left-handed pitching. Lagares has a paltry .264 on-base percentage against right-handed pitching this season, disqualifying him from an everyday role.

Cespedes has played in 75 major league games in center field.

"When I got to the big leagues, I came in as a center fielder, which is the position I played in Cuba," Cespedes said in Spanish. "In Oakland I was moved to left field, and I struggled at first to adapt to it, but I'm very used to it by now, and I feel very comfortable there. But, even though I haven’t done it regularly in a few years, I know I can play center field. I will play where the Mets need me."