The Mets struggling offense thought it was getting an instant boost when Michel Conforto and Jeff McNeil returned to the lineup just two days apart earlier this month, but so far, the two normally reliable bats have only contributed to the team's collective slump.
After a glimmer of what New York hoped to see from the top of its lineup at full strength, both McNeil and Conforto logged multi-hit games in Conforto's first game back on June 23, but the two have fallen into a slump since, though manager Luis Rojas isn't concerned less than two weeks removed from each missing nearly a month of the season.
"They haven't been what we've seen," Rojas said. "McNeil is a .300 hitter and Conforto is a 30 homer hitter. Nothing like that has happened yet, but it's only been a week or less than a week with the days off they've had."
Conforto has appeared in six games since returning from a hamstring injury that he suffered on May 16, and reintroduced himself with a double in his first at-bat back in the lineup, and finished that first game with two hits in four at-bats in a 7-3 victory. Since then, he is hitless in his last 15 plate appearances, walking twice while striking out six times in that span. McNeil returned on June 21 and went 3-for-5 on Conforto's first day back, but has struggled overall, logging just six hits, none for extra bases, in 29 at-bats since returning from a hamstring injury of his own.
"These guys have an identity as offensive players," Rojas said. "The way we think is you gotta count on Jeff McNeil being the Jeff McNeil that we've seen for a couple years now, batting .300 with a .300-plus on base percentage with the ability to hit some homers. Conforto is a 30-homer guy with an ability to get on base as well. That's their identity, and that's what we expect to get from them."
The Mets could use those two bats as they look to keep their hold on first place in the division, and Rojas anticipates that breakout happening sooner than later.
"They've already contributed to a couple of our wins," Rojas said. "We're not disappointed since they joined us again. We know it's gonna come. We know they're going to click and their bats are gonna get hot. They're gonna end up being who they are."
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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