Conforto called up; Nimmo optioned to Triple-A

PHILADELPHIA -- After hitting .235 in 51 at-bats since getting called up from Triple-A, Brandon Nimmo is headed back to Las Vegas. He and Michael Conforto will again trade teams, as they did when Nimmo got the call three weeks ago.
"I know I have a lot to work on and I can do that in Triple-A," Nimmo said after receiving the news. "I know I can play here. [Being up] gave me confidence I can do it."
Nimmo struggled in his limited time in the bigs, his one extra-base hit coming on a fourth-inning home run against Jason Hammel in a 10-2 win over the Cubs on July 1. Collins sent him to the bench when Yoenis Céspedes returned to the lineup and played left field in Sunday's 5-0 Mets win.
Manager Terry Collins on Friday did not seem to think Conforto was nearing a return, despite raking the Pacific Coast League pitching in hitter-friendly Las Vegas.

In 16 games with the 51s, Conforto hit .344 with three home runs and six more extra-base hits. He walked as many times as he struck out (eight) and drove in 15 runs.
"He's playing in the Coast league, he's in Las Vegas. He's going to have good numbers," Collins said. "He's a good hitter. We've had guys who hit .390 [in the PCL]. I think it's a matter of, is he back doing the things that make him successful? Is he using the field to hit? Is he driving the ball the other way?"
Apparently the reports correlated with Conforto's numbers, as he is en route to Chicago for the Mets' three-game series against the Cubs, where he could see his first Major League action in right field. Conforto played exclusively in left field in his time with the Mets, but he appeared in right over the past 16 games with Las Vegas.
The Mets hope to keep Juan Lagares in center and shift Cespedes into left more often, to ease the load on his recovering right quadriceps. Cespedes said he prefers to play left. Both he and Lagares offer defensive upgrades in left and center, respectively. Collins said Cespedes is penciled in to start in left field in Monday's series opener against the Cubs.