Mets' roster, lineup look better with Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson

The Mets' roster underwent quite a bit of change yesterday. Michael Cuddyer hit the disabled list after battling a balky knee for a while, and the team promoted Michael Conforto from Double-A Binghamton. The team traded for Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson, sending minor league pitcher John Gant and Robert Whalen to the Braves. And to make room for the additions, John Mayberry Jr. was designated for assignment, Danny Muno was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas, and David Wright was shifted to the 60-day disabled list.

So the Mets' outfielders are now Conforto, Juan Lagares, Curtis Granderson, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and Johnson, though it's worth noting that Johnson has also gotten some time at both corner infield positions this season and in recent years. Lagares is the only right-handed hitter of the bunch, but Johnson doesn't have much in the way of platoon splits over the course of his career and Conforto hasn't struggled against lefties in the minors. Conforto, Lagares, and Granderson figure to start most games in the near future.

Things get a little more interesting in the infield. The group now includes Lucas Duda, Daniel Murphy, Wilmer Flores, Ruben Tejada, Eric Campbell, and, of course, Uribe. Campbell has seen some time in the outfield but should not be used there with an regularity. Uribe should start most games at third base. Duda, despite his recent struggles, should remain the starting first baseman, perhaps getting some days off against left-handed pitching. Daniel Murphy will presumably return to second base, where he could either platoon with Wilmer Flores or play every day.

And that brings it all back to shortstop. Ruben Tejada has had a decent year, hitting .255/.328/.350 with a 93 wRC+. That's not spectacular, but it's not awful for a shortstop in 2015, and he has out-hit Flores this year. Having started the season with Flores at short despite doubts about his ability to handle the demanding defensive positions, the Mets wound up putting Tejada there and Flores at second once David Wright's future became murky enough that his return could no longer be considered a certainty.

If Uribe and Johnson don't feel like upgrades, well, here's how they compare to the Mets' currently-active hitters this year.

Other changes could be coming soon. If it ever stops raining in Florida, Travis d'Arnaud will begin a rehab assignment there. The Mets are said to want him to get 25 at-bats before he comes back to the big leagues. So maybe he makes it back by next weekend, even if he doesn't quite get to that number because of the weather in Port St. Lucie.

And there is still a chance, perhaps incredibly slim, that Wright makes his way back, too. But the Mets can roll out a more respectable lineup and feature a stronger bench starting tonight, and a roster that features d'Arnaud and potentially Wright would result in the team carrying even more better-than-average hitters. Given the team's pitching staff, that sort of lineup could mean good things.