Just Mets

When the Mets activate Michael Cuddyer this weekend, it’s seems logical to expect Michael Conforto is among the candidates to be sent out to make room for the veteran outfielder.

But the Mets are faced with an interesting dilemma if they choose to option Conforto to Triple-A Las Vegas, which would still technically be a promotion for him considering he came to the Mets from Double-A Binghamton.

When a player is promoted for the first time, a team has between three or four, “player options” they can use to freely send him back and forth to the minor leagues. When a team uses a player option, it’s valid for the entire season, meaning the team can call up or send down that player as needed and as many times as they need to within a given season without having to use another option.

If the Mets option Conforto, the club will spend it’s first player option on their exciting young outfielder. In this case, because Conforto has never spent more than 90 days on any one minor league roster this season, he is eligible for a fourth player option, which is good news as it adds a little more flexibility for the Mets to maneuver him.

But, there is a problem with doing this.If the Mets option Conforto on Saturday, they will spend their first option on him. If he is not recalled within 20 days (or by August 27), the option cannot be rescinded. And, he cannot come back within ten days of the optional assignment unless he replaces an injured player. Remember, he replaced Kirk Nieuwenhuis on the roster a day after he was optioned to the minors when Nieuwenhuis went on the disabled list.

That might not seem like a bad thing on the surface. But it’s entirely possible Conforto might not make the team out of spring training in 2016, meaning the Mets would have to use a second player option at that time.

In other words, the Mets will have spent two player options on their top hitting prospect in a span of seven months.

What’s worse, in that scenario, the Mets would be spending two options on a player who might very well deserve to be starting in the big leagues.

The Mets could always recall Conforto within the 20 day grace period, but that’s easier said than done. Assuming David Wright and Michael Cuddyer are back and healthy, there’s really no playing time available, or actual roster space under the 25-man limitation for Conforto. They could always make room for him and he can ride the pine or play in a platoon, but that’s not necessarily good for him, either.

Of course, if the Mets end up using all of Conforto’s player options between now and 2018, something probably went wrong with him. But if Conforto really needs to go back to the minor leagues (and that’s definitely debatable right now), perhaps the club would wait to demote him until August 12, which is less than 20 days until rosters expand to 40.

The Mets could always keep Conforto and option Eric Campbell, who is the other obvious choice to go to the minors. That would certainly put this issue to bed entirely.