New York Mets Continue to be Bitten by the Injury Bug
For the most part, swinging a bat is a relatively safe activity that is unlikely to cause injury. That is, unless one happens to be a member of the New York Mets, as Michael Conforto discovered on Thursday.
This has been a lost season for the New York Mets. The pitching staff has been decimated by injuries, and even those players that have been able to make their way into the lineup have disappointed. There have been few bright spots for the Mets in 2017.
One of those bright spots has been Michael Conforto. Almost an afterthought heading into the season, he became an All Star due to his excellent first half. He continued that play through August, and had posted a .280/.386/.558 batting line with 28 homers heading into Thursday’s slate of action.
That is, Conforto was a bright spot until yesterday. Unfortunately for the Mets, he too fell victim to the injury bug, dislocating his shoulder while swinging at a Robbie Ray pitch. Conforto crumbled to the ground in pain, eventually leaving the field with a trainer.
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This injury also comes at an inopportune time for New York. They have traded away Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson earlier this month, leaving the team thin in the outfield. It is highly likely that they bring someone up from the minors to fill in as that fourth outfielder, especially given their lack of a solid option on the bench.
Nonetheless, Conforto has solidified his place with the Mets this season. Instead of being a question mark, as he was considered at the start of the year, Conforto has become a building block. If the pitching staff can get healthy, and the Mets other young talent can perform, they could surprise in 2018.
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Michael Conforto will be a key piece to the New York Mets next season. However, despite his breakout this year, he was unable to avoid the injury bug.