At this point, and seeing the players they signed before the lockout, the New York Mets appear to have moved on from outfielder Michael Conforto.
They already had Brandon Nimmo, Dom Smith, and potentially Jeff McNeil as outfielders, but the Mets inked Starling Marte and Mark Canha, too.
Their outfield seems robust in talent and depth.
However, is there a chance they bring back Conforto if his market isn’t ideal after the lockout?
According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, never say never.
Buck Showalter wasn't supposed to talk about players, but slipped at one point today. I found it interesting that he said "if" Michael Conforto signs with somebody else. Could have been just misspeak, but makes you wonder if the door is still be open a crack for Conforto.
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) February 18, 2022
“Buck Showalter wasn’t supposed to talk about players, but slipped at one point today. I found it interesting that he said “if” Michael Conforto signs with somebody else. Could have been just misspeak, but makes you wonder if the door is still be open a crack for Conforto,” he wondered, via Twitter.
A Solid Middle-Of-The-Order Threat
Conforto was a solid right fielder for the Mets.
He is a career .255/.356/.468 hitter with 132 home runs, and has been 24 percent better than the league average hitter judging by his 124 wRC+ (weighted Runs Created Plus, an adjusted stat).
Between 2017 and 2019, he averaged 29.3 home runs per season, and even though he wasn’t good last year (.232/.344/.384), the Mets know he can be a productive middle-of-the-order masher.
He also was hurt last year, which probably affected his final numbers and performance.
Conforto has his flaws, but he could fit in any lineup.
The question is, will the Mets fit him in?
Their outfield appears set, and they have a much bigger need in the rotation, where they need two or three more arms to enter the season with some peace of mind.
Owner Steve Cohen won’t hold back if he really wants him, though, so completely ruling out a return would be foolish.
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