Mets put Yoenis Cespedes on DL with hamstring injury

By AP
Published

WASHINGTON (AP) The New York Mets placed outfielder Yoenis Cespedes on the 10-day disabled list Saturday with what could be a season-ending hamstring injury.

Cespedes strained his right hamstring running the bases in the first inning Friday night against the Nationals. General manager Sandy Alderson said Cespedes' ''season is in jeopardy.''

The 31-year-old has been limited to 81 games this season because of various injuries. He's hitting .292 with 17 home runs and 42 RBIs for a team that has fallen out of playoff contention.

''Ces, he knows his workouts better than I do, and if he needs to adjust them, then I'm sure that he will get with his fitness people and make those corrections,'' Mets manager Terry Collins said Saturday. ''They need to meet with Yo and Noah (Syndergaard) and guys that really get after it in workouts and come up with a system that keeps them healthy. I don't know if there's any such animal.''

While putting Cespedes on the DL, the Mets welcomed back Jose Reyes after the infielder missed 10 days with a sore left ribcage. New York also called up outfielder Travis Taijeron from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned right-hander Kevin McGowan.

After being notified of his call-up Friday in Las Vegas, the 28-year-old Taijeron made it to Washington in time to make his major league debut, batting seventh and starting in right field.

''It just came out of left field pretty much,'' said Taijeron, who went 0 for 4. ''I had just got done hitting in the cage and we were just talking in the clubhouse and they called me in and told me.''

Taijeron has 25 home runs in 448 at-bats in Triple A, and the Mets hope he brings that power to the majors.

''Just hope that he gets the chance to show it up here that he can handle the pitching up here,'' said Collins, who added he didn't have a specific plan for outfield playing time. ''It's another great story of a guy that persevered in the minor leagues and put up numbers and is finally getting his opportunity and hope he runs with it.''

The injury-plagued Mets, who lost outfielder Michael Conforto on Thursday with a dislocation and tear of his left shoulder, hope they're seeing progress in David Wright's rehab work to return after 2016 neck surgery for a cervical disk herniation. Manning third base for the second consecutive day, Wright played five innings Saturday for St. Lucie and went 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

Collins doesn't know how many at-bats or games Wright needs before potentially being able to return to New York.

''I just hope he's able to keep playing,'' Collins said. ''That's the key for me. I think he's such a talented guy, if he can continue to play and continue to progress, I think he'll be able to dictate to us if he's ready.''

Right-hander Matt Harvey's status also bears watching as he aims for a September return. Harvey allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits in 4 2/3 innings with Class-AA Binghamton at Portland on Saturday, striking out two and walking one.

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