Left fielder Michael Conforto told reporters there was some improvement with the back spasms that forced him out of the game on Wednesday. After a four hour drive from Dunedin, Conforto visited a doctor and received back treatments from trainers at Tradition Field.
“It was a little tight this morning,” said Conforto. “Obviously the ride home didn’t help, and sleeping. But I came in here and just got it loosened up pretty good. It feels a lot better. I just got out of the hot tub…It does feel better, that’s for sure. I saw a doctor. He said the same thing — it’s just spasms, just a muscle thing, it looks like.” (ESPN NY)
Manager Terry Collins wasn’t as optimistic as his young outfielder and did express some concern.
“Back things — they’re touchy,” Collins said. “Especially here in Florida where it’s humid, you’re sweating a lot, you’re going and you’re sitting down for a while if it’s ever a long inning. Boy, you can tighten up in a minute. Back spasms can be tough to get rid of.”
The plan for now is to have Conforto rest for two days before returning to baseball activities. He says the back spasms are something he’s dealt with two years ago in the instructional league.
“I’ve had some tightness, but I’d never had to leave a game. It never kept me out more than a few days.”
Original Report
After striking out in the fourth inning of today’s game against the Blue Jays, Mets’ left fielder Michael Conforto departed the game, complaining of lower-back tightness.
Conforto downplayed the injury, saying the 3½ hour bus trip and lack of preparation time for the game could have been contributing factors.
“It could have been the bus ride. Just on the first swing in that second at-bat, it just kind of stiffened up a little bit.” Conforto said. “When I came back in, I told Terry it stiffened up. I’ll probably go back to St. Lucie just to get a little treatment. I feel OK. It’s just a little stiff.”
Conforto later added, “It’s a little bit frustrating because I can’t remember the last time I came out of a game. But I’ve been relatively pain-free, or no back tightness.”
“Today was a weird day. It was an early bus ride. We got here a little bit late. I didn’t get to swing in the cage before I went out on the field. So, I think, a little preparation and a little treatment, I’ll be fine in a few days.”
According to Conforto, the tightness has not been a reoccurring issue, but manager Terry Collins acknowledged minor back issues Conforto has had in the past.
Collins said “He’s had it in the past. He’s had some spasms in the past — early in camp, when you sweat too much or something.”
The former first round pick had a solid rookie campaign, hitting at a .271/.335/.506 clip with nine home runs and 26 RBI’s after being called up in late July, and is projected to be the starting left fielder on Opening Day.
