Juan makes most of start against lefty
WASHINGTON — After spending most of his spring training hitting against lefthanded batters, Michael Conforto was surprisingly not in the lineup Saturday against Nats lefty Gio Gonzalez.
Juan Lagares, who is better against left handed hitters and has hit .372 in 43 at-bats against Gonzalez, was in the lineup playing center field. Jay Bruce, who went into the game 4-for-23 against him, was in right over Conforto.
“I just felt like it was probably a better situation,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said of playing Bruce over Conforto. “Somehow Michael faced a ton of lefties in spring training, but I thought it would be better for Bruce to go out there, playing every day, been in there, I thought it was just a better situation for Bruce.”
Bruce singled and doubled off Gonzalez Saturday.
Conforto, who made his season debut Thursday after an extended rehab from September shoulder surgery, was not surprised by the decision. Callaway had told him before he was activated from the disabled list that Lagares would play center Saturday.
“I definitely want to be out there,” Conforto said Saturday. “But, I think early, he’s trying to get everyone going, keep everyone healthy, so I understand it.”
Callaway used Conforto as a pinch hitter in the seventh when the Mets’ rallied to tie the game at 2-2. With Asdrubal Cabrera on third, Conforto was walked intentionally.
Callaway was eager to see how Lagares, who had just 10 at-bats over four games heading into Saturday, fared against Gonzalez. Lagares singled and took an intentional walk against the Nationals starter.
“I think overall, he probably sees lefthanders just better. I think historically the numbers say that, but there is probably a comfort level when a lefty is pitching that day that he feels right confident going into that because of the history,” Callaway said. Lagares also made a tremendous defensive play to save a run in the second inning.
The Gold Glove center fielder charged a shallow fly ball and gunned a laser to Travis d’Arnaud, who dropped to his knees just in time to prevent Brian Goodwin from scoring.
WHEELS UP
Zack Wheeler was not messing around in his first start for the Mets’ Triple-A club. The right hander allowed one run (a home run) on three hits in five innings. Wheeler retired 10 straight batters at one point. “He looked fantastic,” said one scout who was at the game. “He pounded the strike zone. Good fastball, good slider, very good changeup. He threw some good curveballs and some that weren’t so good, but on the whole he looked really, really good.”
Wheeler lost out in a battle to make the major league rotation after struggling this spring.
He was put into a battle with Steven Matz when the Mets brought in lefthander Jason Vargas and then when Vargas was sidelined by a broken hamate bone, he lost out to spot starter Seth Lugo.
If Lugo is needed out of the bullpen Sunday night, Wheeler would be on turn to make a start Wednesday if the Mets need an emergency starter.
Wheeler had not been in the minors since 2013. He had a season and a half in the big leagues before he was sidelined for two years by March 2015 Tommy John surgery. He tried to come back last season but lasted just half the year before he was shut down by what the team said was a stress injury.
“I heard it was pretty good,” Mets pitching coach Dave Eiland said. “I didn’t get the ins and outs of it all. I will. I’ll go and see it on video.
“But, that’s what we want him to do: go down there and do well, get some type of roll.”
VARGAS SIX UP
Left-hander Jason Vargas threw six simulated innings, or 85 pitches, Saturday in Port St. Lucie. “Everything went great,” Eiland said. Vargas, who had surgery to remove a fractured hamate bone in his right hand last month, still cannot use his right hand to squeeze his glove, so he remains at least a week to 10 days away from his return.
“The thing is he’s got to be able to catch the ball back from the catcher,” Eiland said. “His arm is going to be OK, it’s just being able to do the other things. He’s going to meet us in Miami on Monday, we’ll sit down and reevaluate and see where we go from there.”
Eiland said it would not be necessary for the veteran lefty to pitch in a minor league rehab game before returning from the disabled list, because his left arm is in shape.
“We can hit him grounders and have him do work on the field,” Eiland said. “That’s not a concern.”