New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, already out with an injury to his heel, may miss the rest of the season after a fall at home
Yoenis Cespedes was already expected to miss most of this season, but now it appears the New York Mets slugger won’t play at all in 2019 after a freak injury at home.
Cespedes was on his ranch in Port St. Lucie, Florida on Saturday when he fractured his ankle after what General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen describes as a “violent fall.” Van Wagenen, speaking at a press conference on Monday, added that Cespedes is currently being evaluated in New York and that the club hopes to learn more about the extent of the injury within a few days.
“Our focus is currently to try to get him the best medical care, and then hopefully get a better idea of what this means for his future both in 2019 and beyond,” Van Wagenen said.
The oft-injured Cespedes has yet to play in 2019 after having surgery on his heels in the offseason and wasn’t expected to join the team until July. The 33-year-old has played just 119 games since the start of the 2017 season while the Mets continue to pay him $29 million per season. In his last full season, back in 2016, Cespedes hit .280 with 31 home runs and 86 RBI.
Cespedes is in what was expected to be his fifth season with the Mets after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the July trade deadline in 2015. He still has a year remaining on a four-year, $110 million contract he signed with the Mets after the 2016 season. He last appeared in a game on July 20.
Van Wagenen also addressed the future of manager Mickey Callaway. The Mets are coming off being swept by the last-place Miami Marlins on the weekend, being shut out in back-to-back games. With growing calls for Callaway, in his second season as Mets manager, to be fired, Van Wagenen is sticking by him for now.
“Mickey’s our manager now, Mickey’s our manager going forward,” he said.
The Mets have lost five games in a row to fall to 20-25 on the season and are 6.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.