LOS ANGELES -- Asdrubal Cabrera remains on track to rejoin the Mets on Friday in San Francisco, though not necessarily at the position he has played all season.
Manager Terry Collins said he is considering asking Cabrera to move from shortstop to second base, a position he last played regularly in 2014 with the Nationals. The move would theoretically improve the Mets' defense at short, where Cabrera ranks second-to-last in the Majors with minus-9 Defensive Runs Saved.
"I know [Cabrera] wants to play short," Collins said. "I get that. But we might be better off if he can give us some reps someplace else."
Though the idea of moving Cabrera from shortstop is not new -- the Mets talked internally earlier this season about shifting him to third base -- this would be the first time that Collins addresses him directly about it. Collins said he may still change his mind and ask Jose Reyes to shift, though he indicated that he is far more likely to have that conversation with Cabrera.
"You can't do this job if you can't talk to a player about something," Collins said.
While advanced metrics also paint Reyes as a below-average shortstop defender, his falloff has not been as dramatic as that of Cabrera. In addition, Collins is convinced that Reyes feels more comfortable at the plate when he is playing his natural defensive position. In 34 games at third base, Reyes has batted .180, versus .204 when playing shortstop.
"I'm open to do whatever they ask me to do," Reyes said. "There's no preference for me."
Cabrera has been the superior offensive player in 49 games, batting .244 with six home runs. He has been sidelined since June 13 due to a sprained left thumb.
In either case, the Mets are not close to promoting top prospect Amed Rosario, another natural shortstop. After a blistering start at Triple-A Las Vegas, Rosario entered Thursday's play batting just .238 over his last 10 games. Barring a major injury to Cabrera or Reyes, the Mets are unlikely to promote Rosario unless they fall completely out of playoff contention.
• Before Thursday's game, the Mets selected the contract of right-handed reliever Chasen Bradford from Triple-A Las Vegas, optioning Tyler Pill to the Minors. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred left-hander Tommy Milone to the 60-day disabled list. Bradford will pitch in relief, with Rafael Montero taking Pill's rotation spot Sunday in San Francisco.