Not many spots up for grabs at New York Mets camp
The New York Mets’ biggest moves this offseason were re-signing their own free agents.
Even though spring training games just started Friday, there are very few roster spots up for grabs.
Their fifth starter battle will be between Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo and Zack Wheeler, who has spent a couple seasons coming back from Tommy John surgery.
If Gsellman wins the spot — and he’s probably the favorite — it means the Mets could opt to send Lugo back to Las Vegas to keep him stretched out in the rotation. Or vice versa.
Another possibility is that Wheeler, instead of going to the rotation or even the bullpen, might hang back in extended spring training, as recent reports have suggested.
The Mets will also need a few more relievers to fill out the bullpen since Jeurys Familia is almost certain to be suspended for a domestic violence arrest last October.
Perhaps the biggest story will be what the Mets do with Michael Conforto.
With Jay Bruce, Curtis Granderson and Yoenis Cespedes as the starters and Juan Lagares as the team’s fourth outfielder, they could opt to send Conforto, their top pick in the 2014 draft, to Triple-A to get consistent at-bats rather than leave him in the majors playing sparingly.
Conforto began his spring on a strong note with a single and home run in Friday’s opener.
“That’s the start we were looking for,” Conforto told reporters in Florida. “It’s Game 1 and I definitely want to get off on the right foot. It felt good to get a couple hits and put some runs on the board.”
PLAWECKI SUFFERS INJURY
Catcher Kevin Plawecki left Saturday’s game after a collision at home plate. He was diagnosed with a left knee contusion and was taken for X-rays.
Plawecki, who hit .300 in 55 games with the 51s last season, is likely slated for Triple-A, behind Travis d’Arnaud and Rene Rivera on the depth chart.
Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.