To say the New York Mets are having injury issues right now might be an understatement. Many teams are suffering from injuries, but the Mets’ list just seems to keep growing.
Yoenis Cespedes was taken out of Thursday’s game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves, apparently having aggravated the left hamstring strain that kept him sidelined last weekend even more.
He injured it a week ago in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies while attempting to break up a double play in the fifth inning.
After hurting his hamstring last Thursday and upon hearing that the team had called it a “cramp,” Cespedes said,
"“It was not a cramp. I felt, like a shock. I’m going to get an MRI tomorrow but the doctor checked me out and he said it should be two or three days.”"
An MRI Friday revealed that Cespedes had a strain in his left hamstring, but even Mets manager Terry Collins couldn’t keep track of what grade it was, though it was obviously mild.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
With Asdrubal Cabrera also out with “damn hamstring issues” according to Collins, the Mets are beginning to get short on players, making things confusing.
Cespedes’ hamstring strain must not have been considered too serious, as he was back in the lineup earlier this week.
Still, after hitting a double in Thursday’s game against the Braves to lead off the fourth inning, he must have pulled his hamstring much more severely and will no doubt undergo another MRI.
This time the grade of the strain will likely be known because it appears the Mets could be without Cespedes until at least mid-May.
Hamstring injuries are often tricky and Collins did say on Friday (per NJ.com),
"“We have Monday off, but I think unless he makes a miraculous recovery today, we’d be foolish to push him with the extra day on Monday,” Collins said. “We’ve got a day game following a night game, so I’m not sure tomorrow is a chance.”"
He probably didn’t keep Cespedes out of the lineup quite long enough despite what the doctors had said. As noted, hamstring injuries are often tricky to come back from and now Cespedes’ is obviously much worse.
Last week he walked off the field slowly – but on his own. Thursday he limped off the field and had to be helped, with his arm around trainer Ray Ramirez.
The Mets are also dealing with injuries to first baseman Lucas Duda, utility infielder Wilmer Flores, catcher Travis d’Arnaud and Cabrera.
Add to that the fact that starter Jacob deGrom has been dealing with a stiff neck and Noah Syndergaard was scratched from his start Thursday with a “tired arm,” plus the injury to Cespedes, and that’s quite a few players out.
Next: Fukushima safe to host baseball in 2020 Olympics?
While Collins believes that the team will be all right because it is still only April, it still seems the Mets are going to have a long road of recovery ahead of them.