MIKE’S ON!
Conforto takes major step in rehab
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Michael Conforto got a call he had been waiting for Thursday night; now he is just waiting for THE call. After playing in his first major league “game” in eight months, the Mets All-Star outfielder is hoping that the call telling him he is being activated off the disabled list won’t be far behind.
The last three days have certainly seemed to accelerate the initial rehab schedule that had him returning on May 1.
“I would hate to put a timetable on anything, like we know it’s hard to make those kind of assumptions,” manager Mickey Callaway said, “but the way he’s progressing now, there’s a good shot at that.”
Conforto has been trying to follow the Mets’ lead and focus on the day-to-day. As he has progressed quickly in the last two weeks from facing live batting practice, to playing in minor league games to facing major league pitching for the first time, it’s hard not to get anxious.
“I don’t know,” Conforto said when asked if he could be ready even sooner. “I am just happy to be back in the lineup today and back with the team. We’ll see what happens. But May 1 feels like a really long ways away.”
For now, Conforto was thrilled to get the call from Callaway Thursday night to ask if he wanted to DH against the Cardinals on Friday.
“I told him ‘We need a DH for tomorrow, is that an option for you?’ and he said OK,” Callaway said. “Everybody else cleared it medically. So it was exciting.”
It’s been nearly eight months since he has faced major league pitching in a game. Last August, he dislocated his shoulder swinging at a pitch, tearing the anterior capsule in the process.
Friday, Conforto went 1-for-4 with a single off former Mets lefty Sean Gilmartin in the 10-7 loss to the Cardinals at First Data Field. He struck out, grounded out to the pitcher and second baseman before singling through the second-base hole.
“It’s good. I think still got some timing to get back,” Conforto said. “It was good to be back out there with the guys and play in front of our fans and be out here in the big stadium. A lot of good stuff. It was nice to sneak a hit in there at the end.”
Wednesday morning, Callaway and the front office got to see firsthand how far Conforto has progressed. He hit against minor league pitchers in a simulated game that was scheduled to get Jacob deGrom work. Conforto stole the show, hitting two home runs and going 3-for-11.
One front office person remarked that Conforto’s rehab seemed to be “ahead of schedule.”
Thursday, he proved that he had mastered the minor league pitching he was seeing. Conforto hit for the cycle in the first four at-bats he had in a minor league game against the Astros.
But seeing major league pitching showed him he still has some work to do on his timing.
“I think right now I am just a little bit late on the fastballs. I am a little more on time with the offspeed stuff. Think that explained the rollovers and ground balls,” Conforto said of his Friday afternoon. “The guy today was sinking it actually pretty good. A lot of ground balls on our side. He was a good arm, a good guy to see to start. I’ve just got to get the timing right.”
Conforto is expected to play in Saturday’s game as well, this time in the outfield, Callaway said. The new Mets manager has had limited looks at Conforto as he rehabbed this spring, but he understands what he means to the Mets.
“It meant a lot, meant a lot for our team, probably means a lot for our fans,” Callaway said. “I think they know he’s close, so obviously having Michael Conforto on our roster, playing in games makes us a better team, a better organization and it was a good day.”
A better day, when Conforto is back in the lineup for good, doesn’t seem so far away now.