In deference to the recovering Noah Syndergaard, the Mets right field situation is almost like a Game of Thrones at Citi Field.
Bruce, Conforto, De Aza, and Nimmo are all spokes in the wheel.
However, it’s time to break the wheel.
It’s time for Terry Collins to make a choice and live with it. If the Mets are going to do anything come October, they will need a consistent player in right who will not be afraid of his job if he goes 0-4 in a night.
Tonight, the in the Mets 10-5 win it was Michael Conforto’s time to shine. He went 2-3 with a double and a three-run homer and is batting .462 over his last six games.
And much like any wheel, it spins in a circle with the Mets right back where they started in April and Conforto is a big part of the Mets lineup. Remember, after the first few days of the season, Collins moved his young outfielder to the No. 3 slot and many – including this space – believed he would stay there for the next six or seven seasons.
However, it just didn’t work out that way. Conforto went into a deep funk, was sent down to Triple-A twice and forced the Mets to trade for Jay Bruce at the deadline.
When he was down in Las Vegas, though, the outfielder hit. He just didn’t in the big leagues until tonight.
“What we saw tonight is what we are used to seeing a lot,” Collins said. “It was good for him and a great confidence builder and we will give him another shot.”
Collins did say he would continue with the wheel in right. Tonight, when he looked at his lineup, Bruce didn’t have great number against Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson, while Brandon Nimmo was better coming off the bench. So Conforto got the shot by default.
Maybe, though, it’s time to give Conforto the job full time.
The Mets lineup has been very top heavy recently with Jose Reyes, Asdrubal Cabrera, Yoenis Cespedes and Curtis Granderson doing the heavy lifting with the second four looking to just chip in from time to time.
If the Mets get to the Wild Card, they will need someone who has experience in the postseason to help with the Big 4. Conforto is the obvious candidate.
Bruce and Conforto both have postseason records, but Bruce isn’t in Cincinnati anymore and is struggling on the big stage, whereas Conforto hit .333 in the World Series last year with two homers. He was one of the few Mets to step up against Kansas City and he could very well do it again.
There are still eight games to go in this regular season and the last couple of days the Mets are doing it with smoke and mirrors. Every game is a playoff game now and Collins needs to go with the guys who will get him past Oct. 2.
In right field, Conforto is looking like the way to go. Break the wheel. He’s the obvious choice.
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