Mets keep prospect Conforto in majors with Cuddyer off DL

3B Eric Campbell was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas as the Mets activated OF Michael Cuddyer off the disabled list.

The 36-year-old veteran was placed on the DL with a bone bruise below his left knee cap leading to a pair of Class A rehab assignments prior to his return to the Mets. In his young major league career, Conforto has hit.222/.326/.389 with one home run and in 43 major league plate appearances. You hit good, you’re in there every day.

“Other than that, we have no particular schedule or [know] how much he’s going to play. You don’t hit, somebody else is”.

It has been suggested that Cuddyer may see some time in right field in relief of Curtis Granderson, who has continued to be productive atop the batting order for Collins.

But after days of indications by manager Terry Collins that rookie Michael Conforto could be the one squeezed out, Alderson uttered something that could mean otherwise. He is in the team’s starting lineup tonight, which Cuddyer is not. If the Mets are willing to cut into the playing time of reigning gold glove victor Juan Lagares in centerfield, they should be willing to cut into the under performing Cuddyer in left.

“We’re looking to play the best nine players we can in any given game, and he qualifies”, general manager Sandy Alderson said of Conforto, “especially against right-handed pitching”.

Simply shifting Cuddyer into a part-time or bench role is also an option, although the Mets gave up a first-round draft pick to sign him this offseason and still owe him $12.5 million for 2016. “It doesn’t matter what it looks like or what’s in it for me”, Cuddyer said earlier this month.

As of right now, there’s some hope for Conforto – the organization’s top hitting prospect – to remain with the team. 222) with a home run and eight RBIs since his promotion to the Mets on July 24.

With Cuddyer back, Conforto would not receive many starts. But he’s likely to jump back in with the Mets on Tuesday.

The conundrum here is that the Mets need all the offensive help they can get, but they also want Conforto to get consistent at-bats in any way possible. “We’re very happy with what he’s done”.