Jun 11, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; New York Mets left fielder Michael Conforto (30) reacts after scoring a run against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
New York Mets outfielder Michael Conforto, the team’s only All-Star, is expected to be activated before Saturday afternoon’s game in St. Louis.
It looks like one rehab game is all the 24-year-old needed as he worked his way back from a bruised hand that sidelined him late last month.
“[He had] a good night [Thursday] night,” Mets manager Terry Collins told MLB.com’s Adam Rubin. “Said he felt it a little bit late in the game, but nothing that he couldn’t swing with, couldn’t play with. We’ll certainly try to get him in there this weekend.”
In his only rehab appearance with the St. Lucie Mets, Conforto went 3-for-4 with a RBI double and run scored, walking once and striking out once. In 69 games for the big club this season, he’s hitting .285 with 14 home runs, 49 RBI, and a .953 OPS.
It’s unclear what the corresponding roster move the Mets need to make to clear a spot for Conforto on the active roster will be.
Bartolo Colon Spurns Mets Reunion
Rather than rejoin a team that he had great success with and enjoy the summer in New York, 44-year-old free agent pitcher Bartolo Colon decided to take his talents North…to Minnesota.
Bartolo Colon signed with the Twins. Mets GM Sandy Alderson: “We made a strong effort to re-sign Bartolo. But he decided to go elsewhere.”
It was widely assumed that Colon rejoining the Mets was inevitable after he parted ways with the Atlanta Braves. Despite his awful numbers (2-8 with an 8.14 ERA and 1.78 WHIP), Colon would have been a welcome addition to an injury-depleted rotation.
But according to Newsday‘s Marc Carig, Colon was concerned that once the team’s injured starters were healthy enough to return, that he’d be bumped to the bullpen. Apparently, that’s something the veteran had no interest in potentially doing.
We can just chalk this up to one more disappointment in what has become a season full of them for the Mets.
It’s no secret that the Mets are typically cautious with pitchers returning from injury. So nobody would have been surprised if the club had put an innings limit on Zach Wheeler, who missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons trying to rehab from Tommy John surgery.
What’s surprising is that the Mets seem to be throwing caution to the wind in Wheeler’s case.
The 27-year-old has been inconsistent this season, going 3-5 with a 5.01 ERA and 1.51 WHIP over 14 starts. But he’s only on pace to throw somewhere in the neighborhood of 140 innings, which isn’t an absurdly high number.
“We’re trying to get back in the race, Collins told Carig. “The development side has got to take a back seat right now. We need to get back in this race, and that’s by putting our best guys out there.”
Even with his mediocre numbers, it’s hard to argue that Wheeler isn’t one of Collins’ best options in the rotation.
Other Mets News, Stories
ESNY’s Zachary Weisleder recaps the Mets 6-5 victory over St. Louis Friday night.
ESNY’s Alex Jordan has the latest news surrounding the team’s first-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, David Peterson.
I've been dunked on by Shaq and yelled at by Mickey Mantle. ESNY Editor In Chief. UMass alum. Former National Columnist w/Bleacher Report & former member of NY Knicks Basketball Ops department. Nephew of Rock & Roll Royalty.
