Michael Conforto injury: Mets outfielder leaves game with dislocated shoulder

In the bottom of the fifth inning on Thursday afternoon, Michael Conforto was batting against Arizona lefty Robbie Ray. Upon swinging at a 2-0 pitch, something went wrong for Conforto and he suddenly fell down, clutching his left shoulder.

A few minutes later, SNY reported that Conforto had dislocated his shoulder.

The outfielder was promptly removed from the game, as Brandon Nimmo finished his at-bat before staying in the game to play right field. Conforto has been one of New York’s top players this year and one of the biggest reasons to believe that the team will be good next year. After a Jekyll-and-Hyde 2016 in which he played like a superstar during the first two months and a scrub thereafter, Conforto proved this season that he has what it takes to be an All-Star hitter.

Entering action on Thursday, he was batting .280/.386/.558 for a 146 wRC+ and 4.1 WAR. Considering that the Mets have traded away all their good veteran players and are planning for the future, Conforto’s injury should be treated with great caution.