The New York Mets called up outfielder Michael Conforto from Double-A Binghamton on Friday after placing left fielder Michael Cuddyer on the disabled list.
Cuddyer has been dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee for a couple of weeks. He has gotten multiple injections and multiple forms of anti-inflammatory medication, but none of that has worked and he has started just two games since the All-Star break, according to MLB.com. Cuddyer is in the first year of a two-year, $21 million contract with the Mets. He is hitting .250 with eight homeruns in 82 games this season.
The Mets were hesitant to bring up Conforto because of his lack of experience in the upper minor league levels.
"Most young position players that come to the big leagues for the first time aren't all that successful," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said, the New York Daily News notes. "Now, somebody like Conforto can be the exception, somebody like Conforto can come up with the intended purpose of only being here for a week or 10 days to get through a shortage, a player shortage that we might have. So there are different scenarios. But I think fundamentally you have to keep in mind that young players aren't always extraordinarily successful from the get-go."
Conforto was drafted by the Mets in 2014. He is ranked as the Mets number three prospect. He was hitting .312 with five homeruns and 26 RBI’s with Double-A Binghamton this season, according to ESPN. In 133 career Minor league games Conforto is a .308 hitter with 15 homeruns.
The Mets are hoping that Conforto can help turn around their struggling offense. They are 29th in the majors and last in the NL with an average of 3.43 runs per game, and are last in the majors with a team batting average of .233 and a .357 slugging percentage.