Mets place Yoenis Cespedes on DL before Mets top Padres

At this stage for the Mets, whatever is going to happen next is much more compelling and important than what is happening now. That is true for the trading situation and even more true for the case of Yoenis Cespedes, who went back on the disabled list Tuesday without a clue about when he will play again.

Even after the 6-3 win against the Padres behind a solid Zack Wheeler at Citi Field, the Mets were unsure of whether Cespedes, who was in the clubhouse Tuesday, will have surgery that could keep him out for as much as 10 months. Mickey Callaway said the team was waiting a final medical opinion on the condition of the player’s calcified heels. In the meantime, he was placed on the 10-day disabled list, only four days and one game after he had been taken off it.

Cespedes revealed Friday night, after hitting a home run in a win against the Yankees in his first game back from a strained hip flexor, that his heels have been bothering him for a long time and possibly contributed to his other health problems. Cespedes went for an MRI and further examinations on Monday. He was seen by two doctors and the results were sent to a third specialist, out of state.

“We’re still waiting on word, on his opinion of the information he got,” Callaway said of the latter doctor, whom he called one of the best specialists in the country.

Questions about whether surgery was necessary, or that it even would help, topped a layer of uncertainty already in place because of the non-waiver trading deadline next Tuesday. Mets officials are mulling whether to deal any member of their rotation, particularly Wheeler.

He might be the most likely to be dealt because he is not a cornerstone the way Jacob deGrom is, but he has been good lately and will be under team control for another season after this one.

Wheeler was strong again this time, retiring the final 12 batters in his seven-inning stint. He allowed only two runs and four hits and struck out three. He also smacked a double to right-centerfield in what might have been his last game as a Met.

“Yeah, it crossed my mind. I’m not going to lie,” he said. “At the same time, you can’t really do anything about it. You have to go out there and pitch and try to get a win. Obviously, [teams] wouldn’t want me if I wasn’t pitching well. Like I said, it’s a lot of hard work and it’s starting to pay off, and I hope I can keep it going.”

Wheeler’s teammates did their parts, too, at bat and in the field. Devin Mesoraco hit a three-run double in the first against starter Eric Lauer. Michael Conforto, who entered with a .500 batting average since the All-Star break, hit a two-run home run to right in the third — his 13th of the season and a signal that his second half might be much better than the first. Amed Rosario, batting leadoff for the second night in a row, hit a two-out triple in the fourth and came home on Asdrubal Cabrera’s single.

Also, Mesoraco, the catcher, ended the Padres’ threat in the third when he kept playing and threw to third base for an apparent fourth out after he tagged out Manuel Margot at the plate. The latter call was overturned after a review, so the throw that Mesoraco made to third to retire Carlos Asuaje counted as the third out.

“I wasn’t 100 percent aware of the rule, so it didn’t hurt anything to throw down to third and get the tag,” Mesoraco said. “You just never know. You can’t assume anything.”

The Mets are definitely not assuming anything about Cespedes. They ended the night unsure of his future — and when it might resume.