SAN FRANCISCO — Michael Conforto might not be in New York anymore, but he’s still been following the Mets from the West Coast.
Conforto had plenty of time to follow the Mets and the rest of the league after sitting out the 2022 season with yet another shoulder surgery. Now that he’s back in baseball, the former Mets’ outfielder finally gets a chance to face the club that he came up with for the first time Thursday night at Oracle Park as a member of the San Francisco Giants.
“I texted with Nimmo a bit last night,” Conforto said Thursday in the Giants dugout. “I’ve been watching from afar, keeping up on over the offseason some of the guys getting paid, just checking in on spring training and everything. Those guys were my family for six, seven years, so that doesn’t go away, that’s for sure. I like to keep checking in and making sure I’m aware of what’s going on.”
The 30-year-old Conforto became a sensation with the Mets. He was an All-Star in 2017 and became a key piece of the club’s young core. But the right fielder departed in free agency after the 2021 season, rejecting the Mets’ qualifying offer. By the end, he was looking like a different player than the one who was so good that he was called up only a year after being drafted out of Oregon State.
His defense in right field began to slip and he wasn’t nearly as productive at the plate. Conforto hit just .232 with a .729 OPS in 2021in his final year in Queens.
Then came another blow in free agency. Conforto, who had surgery on his left shoulder in 2017, injured his right one during offseason training in 2022. He was forced to sit out last season while he rehabbed his throwing shoulder.
The Mets checked in on him over the winter but ultimately decided to sign Tommy Pham as the fourth outfielder. The Giants signed him to a two-year, $36 million contract over the winter. It’s the kind of prove-it deal that he needs to show baseball that he’s capable of producing in a reserve role.
“There wasn’t a ton of conversation about it,” Conforto said. “It’s not that I wouldn’t have come back, I think there were just better opportunities elsewhere for me and this was a great opportunity. I think I’m happy where I ended up and I really like the guys in that clubhouse. And like I said before, I’ve just been welcomed with open arms and put in a position where I can go out there and try to help the team win games.”
The Seattle native is comfortable playing on the West Coast. He’s living in the East Bay and he’s been reunited with former Mets teammates Wilmer Flores and J.D. Davis. Conforto confessed to missing the food scene in New York City. He’s happy to be facing his friends in his new home, but he’s looking forward to visiting his old one even more.
“I’m excited to play against them, I think it’s going to be a really fun experience,” he said. “I’m excited to get back to New York as well.”
Left-hander Joey Lucchesi will start in place of right-hander Carlos Carrasco on Friday against the Giants, making his first Major League start since undergoing Tommy John surgery. Lucchesi arrived in San Francisco from Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday. He’s 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in two Triple-A starts this season.
“I haven’t had a whole lot of experience with him, but he’s had some success up here and he’s a guy that’s finally back physically,” manager Buck Showalter said. “He’s come off a really good outing down there and his command has been good. We’ll see if that plays tomorrow against a good team in the big leagues.”
Carrasco is on the injured list with a bone spur in his right elbow. He had a cortisone shot earlier this week and he’s taking a brief rest from throwing. The Mets are hoping this eliminates the need for surgery.
Starling Marte was out of the lineup Thursday with neck stiffness. The Mets hoped to use him off the bench but were unsure about his availability. Should he need another few days to recover, the club will likely send him for imaging and consider a move to the injured list.
The Mets are already without infielder Tim Locastro, who is on the injured list with back spams, so Jeff McNeil may see more time in the outfield in Marte’s absence.
Justin Verlander had a “good day” in Florida and is still on track to throw live batting practice Sunday and make a rehab start the following Friday.
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