New York Mets: Michael Conforto injury clouding his future

It is considered surprising that Michael Conforto is still available in free agency. The former New York Mets outfielder had several teams linked to him shortly after the lockout ended, but nothing materialized. As Opening Day came and went, his stature as a free agent continued to be perplexing.

Then it was discovered that Conforto had injured his shoulder during fielding drills in January. While his agent, Scott Boras, claimed that he had just strained his shoulder and was perfectly healthy, there were clearly some doubts. Conforto, despite those assurances, remained on the market.

Former New York Mets outfielder Michael Conforto faces unclear 2022

It turns out that Conforto’s injury was really worse than reported. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, his shoulder woes were severe enough that he had considered surgery. As it is, even with the rest and attempt to let the shoulder heal on its own, he has not yet resumed throwing. It is also uncertain as to whether or not he will be able to play in the outfield this season due to those shoulder issues.

Conforto is also coming off of what could be considered his worst season in the majors. He produced a disappointing .232/.344/.384 batting line in his 479 plate appearances, hitting 14 homers and 20 doubles. Those marks were his worst in a full season since 2016, particularly bad timing considering that he was about to enter free agency.

Those struggles at the plate, coupled with questions about his ability to play outfield, make Conforto a difficult free agent to project at this point. One would imagine that he is looking at one year offers now, teams giving him a chance to prove himself before he enters free agency again. Even then, he may be limited to a designated hitter role, depending on how bad his shoulder issues truly are.

The news keeps getting worse for Michael Conforto. At this point, it is fair to wonder if the former New York Mets outfielder will find a home for 2022.