Cespedes will see doctor and have MRI
Yoenis Cespedes played in Friday night's game, but aching heels will keep him on the bench Saturday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
A day after returning from his latest leg injury, Yoenis Cespedes was missing from the Mets’ lineup Saturday against the Yankees and will see a doctor again after reporting to the ballpark sore.
Manager Mickey Callaway, who said Friday afternoon that Cespedes was cleared to play back-to-back games, said Saturday morning that Cespedes’ inability to go consecutive days was concerning. Cespedes will meet with a foot specialist and have an MRI early next week.
Cespedes was not available off the bench Saturday as the Mets’ ninth-inning rally fell short in a 7-6 loss to the Yankees. Callaway did not rule out Cespedes playing Sunday despite him not seeing a doctor until Monday at the earliest.
It’s not clear how much of Cespedes’ soreness is related to the calcification in his heels, which he has dealt with for 15 years and said late Friday night could require surgery (and a rehabilitation of 8-10 months).
“I didn’t get to read any of the stuff he said, so I’m not exactly sure what he said,” Callaway said. “He came in pretty sore today and we’re not going to start him.”
Callaway said he was unable to answer several other questions about Cespedes’ heels and potential surgery, noting that they would be good inquiries for doctors. “I hate to speculate on something I’m not very educated on,” he said.
The Mets’ medical staff is not available to the media. Despite considerable confusion over Cespedes’ heels/legs, why he is going to see a doctor, whether he needs surgery, and if so why isn’t he having surgery now, nobody from the Mets’ front office was available to comment. Cespedes also was unavailable to clarify.
Callaway said the Mets were aware of Cespedes’ longstanding heel issues, but didn’t say whether they knew about the apparent surgery option, whether Cespedes heard that from a team doctor or an independent doctor, or when Cespedes would get checked out.
Asked specifically where Cespedes was sore — heel, hip, etc. — Callaway wasn’t specific.
“It’s all interconnected. He’s just sore,” Callaway said. “He ran that ball out [Friday], he came back and he was really sore. All those things are interconnected from what I gather. We just need to continue to have him re-evaluated by the experts that know everything about what he’s got.”
Cespedes missed more than nine weeks with what was initially called a mild strain of his right hip flexor. Upon his return, the Mets knew Cespedes’ legs would require daily maintenance, and his availability would be a day-to-day, but they thought his heels would hold up OK.
“We thought his heels were in a really good spot coming in, or we wouldn’t have activated him,” Callaway said. “He was good to go. We had numerous conversations with him and people that were working him out, and he was in a good spot.”
Now, more apparent pain.
“I feel bad for the guy. He has worked so hard,” Callaway said. “Seeing the stuff that he has to go through to get back, he worked so hard this winter. We talked about everything he tried to do to put himself in a good spot to come out and be healthy for the team. I feel for the guy. He’s done everything he possibly can to stay healthy, and it’s just not happening for him.”
