Asdrubal Cabrera might be enduring a defensive slump, but his starting job with the Mets remains safe.
A day after Cabrera mishandled a pop-up against the Brewers that cost the Mets two runs, manager Terry Collins said he gave the veteran shortstop a pep talk. Cabrera has seven errors in 40 games this season.
“I still see a guy who has got great hands,” Collins said before the Mets’ 7-1 loss to the Brewers. “As I told him when the game was over, ‘You are still the guy I want the ball hit to, so I will take my chances. If they hit the ball to you, they are out.’ ”
Cabrera, who went 1-for-4, is 8-for-27 (.296) since returning from the disabled list, making his shaky defense easier for the Mets to tolerate.
He is scheduled to receive a day off on Thursday, giving Jose Reyes the start at shortstop.
Collins was frustrated his 30-second allotment expired before he could decide whether he wanted to challenge a double play call in the seventh inning. The Mets were considering challenging both ends of the call, at second base and first base, on Jay Bruce’s grounder.
“My guy has only got one set of eyes,” Collins said, referring to replay coordinator Jim Kelly. “[The umpire] said I used up the time and I told him I had two challenges. You can only roll up the video as fast as you can roll it up. He said, ‘You used 37 seconds.’ I said, ‘The next time I see a pitching coach go out to the mound and it’s 31 seconds, I’m out there.’ ”
Michael Conforto went 1-for-4 with an RBI double to wrap up May as a candidate for NL Player of the Month. The Mets outfielder entered play fourth in the league in on-base percentage (.427), tied for fourth in home runs (seven) and second in extra-base hits (16) in May.
Hitting coach Kevin Long, according to Collins, has spoken with Conforto recently about ensuring he doesn’t become too conscious of trying to pull the ball, especially against lefties.
“He’s hitting lefties like I’ve never seen it before because he’s putting a good swing on every pitch he sees,” Collins said. “He’s not doing anything with it except trying to use the middle of the field.”
Josh Edgin pitched a career-high three scoreless innings in relief.
The Mets had their seven-game home winning streak against the Brewers snapped, dating to May 15, 2015.
