New York Mets: Michael Conforto the Offensive MVP

Michael Conforto has had a hot second half for the New York Mets. Has he been their best hitter?

Last August, Michael Conforto, the young offensive stud for the New York Mets, left a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a dislocated left shoulder. The last image we have of Conforto from 2017 was him swinging and falling to the ground, clutching his shoulder in pain.

Conforto had been on the back nine of a breakout offensive season. In just 109 games, the lefty hit 27 home runs, drove in 68 runs and had slashed .279/.384/.555. Experts and insiders reported that Conforto would be able to return by the end of May in 2018, but his young body healed quick and we saw Conforto make his debut on April 5.

While his shoulder may have been healed, Conforto was definitely not Major League ready. Even though 2018 has been a healthy year for the slugger, Conforto struggled throughout the first half of the season.

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At the All-Star break, Conforto had hit only 11 home runs, driven in 30 RBIs and slashed a lowly .216/.344/.366. Conforto’s struggles came during the Mets’ lowest points, the club struggled to score runs and did not win many games. The club had a record of 34-51 in the 85 games that Conforto appeared in prior to the All-Star break.

This is where the page turned for the left-handed slugger. In his 59 games played since the All-Star break, Conforto has hit 16 home runs, driven in 47 runs and has slashed .269/.343/.538. Now, these numbers more closely resemble the Michael Conforto that we were introduced to in 2017.

Going into play on Friday, Conforto has hit 27 home runs, racked up 77 RBIs and is slashing .239/.343/.441. His average should continue to climb as we should see Conforto finish the season strong.

In an article from the New York Post in July, Conforto said that the mental rest from the All-Star break helped fuel his turnaround. He also commented on how he was finally comfortable after his delayed start to the season.

Comparing his production to the rest of the team, Conforto places second in hits (122), fifth in doubles (22), first by a good amount in home runs and RBIs (27, 77),  and third in OPS (.785) and OPS+ (.119). Again, this is very solid production for a player who spent the first portion of the season working on getting his feel back. In my eyes, this makes Conforto my offensive MVP for the 2018 New York Mets.

To sum up the Mets offensive season, second baseman, Asdrubal Cabrera, has not played for the club in about two months but is still in the top five of most of the Mets’ offensive leaderboards.

In a lost year for the New York Mets, Conforto’s turnaround is a great sign for a team which is always in the need for offense. The lefty has shown that he is talented, he just needs to play a fully healthy full season. In a season with a slow start, Conforto has been a plus slugger, now imagine what he can do in 2019. The Mets are always a team with possibilities, they just have to put them into reality.

Conforto’s sweet swing is capable of carrying the team to victories. The Mets have a record of 32-27 in Conforto’s 59 appearances in the second half. For a team that struggles to win without Yoenis Cespedes, Conforto has shown that his production can also carry the team to victories.

If the New York Mets are truly looking to compete in 2019, Conforto will need to be a big piece of their offense. The club will be without Yoenis Cespedes for the first few months of 2019,  Michael Conforto has the ability to help the Amazins’ miss their slugger a little less.