The New York Mets received some bad news in the last few hours. Their star right fielder Michael Conforto was sent to New York to undergo further testing after tweaking his side while making a catch over the weekend.
With the injury occurring under three weeks of the start of the regular season, it isn’t a certainty that Conforto opens the season on the Mets’ active roster.
The slugger traveled to New York to meet with the Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek, to see what he thinks about his injury. Being to his side, it directly affects batting and other baseball-related activities.
The New York Mets’ outfielder underwent an MRI in Florida, but the situation requires for him to be evaluated further to know more about his prognosis.
The possibility exists that he is dealing with a strained oblique, which would almost certainly require an injured list stint to open the season. The Mets will obviously treat the situation with caution, being to one of the most important members of the roster and the lineup.
The Mets have some options to fill in
If Conforto is indeed out for the first few days of the season, it would mean more playing time for the likes of Jake Marisnick, Dominic Smith and, if he is healthy, Yoenis Cespedes.
J.D. Davis could also be a direct beneficiary of the Conforto situation. Initially thought to handle third base and left field duties, the slugger could also become an option in right field as the Mets try to fill a huge void in the lineup.
Conforto had one of his finest seasons at the plate in 2019. He hit a career-high 33 home runs, and slashed .257/.363/.494, good for a 126 wRC+. He scored 90 runs and drove in 92 as the Mets pushed for the playoffs in a very good second half.