Mets option Luis Guillorme, recall Franklyn Kilome to fortify bullpen
Mets third baseman Luis Guillorme looks on after his throw to first base was late on a bunt single by the Orioles' Cedric Mullins during the first inning of a game on Sept. 1 in Baltimore. Credit: AP/Julio Cortez
The Mets were forced to option a valuable bat in the form of Luis Guillorme on Friday, as two short starts by Seth Lugo and Jacob deGrom left the bullpen shorthanded headed into their game with Atlanta.
In Guillorme’s stead, the team called up righty Franklyn Kilome from the alternate site. Guillorme cannot return to the Mets this year unless a player goes on the injured list. He was slashing .347/.431/.429 but played in only 26 games with 49 at-bats because of the team’s crowded infield.
The Mets, though, were in dire straits, having used nine relief pitchers for 14 1/3 innings in two days and going into Friday with Steven Matz making his return to the mound after 19 days on the injured list. Matz gave up six runs, eight hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings and Kilome followed with six runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Conforto’s future
Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said that he considers Michael Conforto "as a long-term piece of our core" and added that they’ve had preliminary conversations about a contract extension in the past. Conforto is hitting .337 with nine homers and 31 RBIs. He’s signed to a one-year, $8 million salary, and is making a prorated $2.9 million. Due to the Mets announced sale to Steve Cohen, though, it’s unlikely Van Wagenen’s talks with Conforto’s representation happened recently, since Cohen would have to sign off on the extension.
There was a "mutual expression of interest potentially in the long-term," Van Wagenen said. "We'll see how those conversations go when we start to put in this entire piece to the puzzle trying to develop a roster strategy as we go into the offseason."
Extra bases
Luis Rojas said Dellin Betances (right lat tightness) has made progress at the alternate site and is "doing great." "He faced hitters yesterday, he’s throwing the ball really good, everything is progressing accordingly," Rojas said. "We’ll just see how he feels after having some competition and some ramp-up activity … (If he feels good) then we can definitely talk about the next step with him." … Rojas said deGrom (hamstring) threw a side session Friday and felt good.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
