Mets’ hottest player right now: Michael Conforto

Michael Conforto is arguably the hottest player on the Mets right now

Conforto has proved to be a reliable starting outfielder, and is off to a torrid start. Conforto’s .361 average and four home runs suggest why he deserves to be on the major league roster.

Before we even get into his success, Conforto is one of the only signs of optimism amidst the struggling Mets’ offense. The offense has been so bad as of late, and in especially their last eight of nine games, have been unable to surpass four runs scored. Part of their lack of scoring is due to the injuries of key hitters, such as Lucas Duda, Wilmer Flores, Travis d’Arnaud, and Yoenis Cespedes.

For Conforto, however, the injuries may be a blessing in disguise. Prior to the Mets surplus of injuries, Terry Collins could not find anywhere to put Conforto into the offense. But now Jay Bruce has shifted over to first, solidifying a starting spot for Conforto in the outfield.

Before at-bats were given to Conforto, when he made spot starts, he started 4-8, which included two home runs, a clutch game tying double in Miami, and some spectacular defensive plays. Now that Conforto has “been freed,” he has continued to keep hitting at his current pace.

As stated earlier, Conforto is hitting .364 in 36 at bats. Even better, facing against one of the major league’s best pitcher, Max Scherzer, Conforto was the only sign of Mets offense, other than Neil Walker who homered. Conforto managed to go 3-4, hit a solo home run, and also made an incredible catch in foul territory.

Most importantly, the biggest issue for Conforto was that last year his first intention was to pull the ball, and mostly for homers. This year is different. He has been hitting gap to gap, has a good balance of pulling the ball, is hitting homers into the opposite field, and is hitting doubles.

The fact that Conforto is hitting all across the field shows that he has developed into a mature hitter, and has corrected himself from the mistakes of last year, which cost him most of the year in the minor leagues.

Next: Mets won’t rush Rosario, Smith to the majors

The Mets have had an absence of fire and energy, and it appears that Conforto may be the solution to their problem. Whether it’s robbing home runs and making diving catches, or hitting the ball over the wall, this kid is the answer for the struggling offense.

Before you know it, led by Conforto, the Mets will be back.