Yoenis Cespedes returned to the New York Mets’ lineup last Friday after missing over two months of action, and things were looking up when he belted a home run and had two hits. As it turns out, those will be the outfielder’s last hits of the 2018 season.
The Mets announced on Thursday that Cespedes will undergo surgeries on both of his heels, ending his season. Assistant general manager John Ricco said the exact timetable for recovery is unknown.
Mets announce that Yoenis Cespedes will indeed undergo surgery on both heels. His season is over.
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) July 25, 2018
Recovery time is “speculative,” Ricco said. The timeframe the Mets have been given is 8-10 months. It could be longer, Ricco said, but likely will not be shorter.
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) July 25, 2018
It will actually be two surgeries, one on each foot, separated by 2-3 months.
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) July 25, 2018
Will surgeries fix Cespedes’ other woes? “No guarantees,” Ricco said, but “this is the only option we have at this point.”
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) July 25, 2018
The Mets are already facing questions about how they could have been unaware of Cespedes having such extensive health issues when they signed him to a four-year, $110 million contract, but Ricco said the team has an insurance policy on the deal. Cespedes also spoke with the media about his nagging injuries.
Cespedes: “There was a moment last weekend when I couldn’t do it anymore.”
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) July 25, 2018
Cespedes has appeared in a total of 119 games over the past two seasons, and the Mets still owe him around $60 million. It would not be a surprise if they replace him this offseason, especially since they have an insurance policy on his massive contract.
