Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With his lightning-quick recovery from a torn hamstring surprising even the Mets' training staff, Robinson Cano is on track to rejoin the team after a rehab stint with Short-Season Brooklyn -- with that return potentially imminent.

Cano had been heating up before his injury, with 10 hits in 19 at-bats, including four doubles and a home run. But while he is expected to return, it isn't yet known if he's healthy enough to play in a starting capacity.

If Cano is ready to be more than a bench player upon his return, it's fair to say two things:

1. The Mets should not put Cano back into the No. 3 spot in the lineup, which is where he has hit during most games this season.

2. Even if he isn't at 100 percent, Cano should play over Joe Panik, even though Panik has done a solid job for the Mets since being let go by the Giants -- hitting .260/.308/.342 in 22 games.

During what has arguably been the worst season of his career, Cano is slugging .415 -- well clear of what Panik is producing.

So the choice is easy if Cano is able to suit up on a near-regular basis. And if he is, here's what could make sense for the Mets...

Against right-handed starting pitchers

1. Jeff McNeil, 3B
2. Pete Alonso, 1B
3. Michael Conforto, RF
4. J.D. Davis, LF
5. Wilson Ramos, C
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Amed Rosario, SS
8. Brandon Nimmo, CF
9. Pitcher

In the above lineup, Todd Frazier, Juan Lagares, and Panik are all on the bench.

It's tough to move Nimmo and his combination of on-base ability and speed down to No. 8, and the Mets could instead opt to slide him to the top of the lineup (either leading off or right behind McNeil, while sliding everyone down one spot).

But in the above scenario, Rosario would then drop to No. 8 -- and the selective Nimmo is probably better equipped to handle hitting in a spot where he might not see too much to hit.

Either way, a nearly fully-healthy Mets lineup clearly leaves them with some very good problems on their hands.

Against left-handed starting pitchers

1. Jeff McNeil, RF
2. Pete Alonso, 1B
3. Michael Conforto, CF
4. J.D. Davis, LF
5. Wilson Ramos, C
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Amed Rosario, SS
8. Todd Frazier, 3B
9. Pitcher

In the above lineup, Frazier -- who has crushed lefties to the tune of a .288/.362/.529 triple slash this season -- is in at third base, with McNeil sliding from third base to the outfield and Conforto moving over to center in place of Nimmo.

It should be noted that Nimmo does have reverse splits this season, but he is the most logical player to sit against left-handers with Cano in the lineup if the team is still committed to getting Frazier at-bats as a starter.

Again, that the Mets are almost completely healthy (Dominic Smith and Jed Lowrie are the only key players still missing) as they continue their improbable playoff push makes for some hard decisions resulting from some very good problems.

First, the Mets will need to know that Cano is healthy enough to be a starting player. If he is and picks up where he left off, his return could help the Mets in a big way as they try to make up a 4.0 game deficit in the Wild Card race with 25 games to go.

Against right-handed starting pitchers

Against left-handed starting pitchers

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