New York Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters on Thursday that he will ask veteran shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to play some second base when he returns.
He then stated the reasoning behind the request was to keep the struggling Jose Reyes at shortstop. Cabrera is still expected to return from the disabled list on Friday.
Of course, it would make more sense if the Mets were asking Cabrera to slide over to second base to accommodate top prospect Amed Rosario.
Previous Update – June 21
Asdrubal Cabrera played his second rehab game today for High-A St. Lucie and served as the DH. He was 1-for-4 on the day.
This was his second rehab game as he played shortstop yesterday for the same team and went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
He is still expected to return to the Mets on Friday.
Original Post – June 20
The Mets infield corps will receive reinforcements as soon as Friday in the form of Asdrubal Cabrera.
According to multiple sources, Cabrera is slated to begin a rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie on Tuesday and can return to the major league team as early as Friday.
The shortstop has been sidelined since June 13 after his lingering thumb issues flared up after a game against the Cubs in which he hit two home runs.
In 49 games for the Mets in 2017, Cabrera has hit to a .244/.321/.392 clip with six home runs and 20 RBI in 196 plate appearances.
With the combination of Cabrera being hampered by injuries, his low batting average and subpar fielding, do the Mets slot him right back into the lineup when he returns?
Jose Reyes is actually starting to heat up, T.J. Rivera has performed admirably since Cabrera and Neil Walker went down and Gavin Cecchini is a 23-year-old who is worth a look in the middle infield.
It might be in the Mets best interest to use Cabrera in a reserve capacity until the formerly mentioned guys start to hit the skids.
Cabrera has a rough year both at the dish and in the field, and with the Mets slipping further and further out of contention, the Mets should let the young guys get some extra reps to show what they are made of.
