Photo By Ed Delaney, MMO

Yoenis Cespedes, through an interpreter, spoke with the media for the first time this year about his recovery from double-heel surgery in 2018.

Cespedes, 33, intimated confidence that he would be able to return this season, but he isn’t going to risk anything to make it happen quickly.

“I feel like I will return (this season). It may be three months, it may be two months, it may be one month (left in the year). When I do return, I plan on being 100 percent, like I was in 2015.”

That’s a different tone than Cespedes has taken in the past regarding his health in which he has often come back from injuries at under 100 percent, focusing often on returning to the field as quick as possible.

The outfielder told reporters as well that he will be starting up throwing next week, but is unsure about how long it will be until he starts hitting. Running wasn’t even mentioned in the discussion which, unsurprisingly, probably won’t happen for a while.

In the meantime, Cespedes is working on “strengthening his tendons in both heels,” as David Lennon of Newsday notes.

The best news that came out of it is the fact that Cespedes went onto say that he already feels “immense relief in his heels” despite the fact that he knows he is nowhere near 100% yet.

Mickey Callaway spoke to the media shortly after and said that having “Yo back would be icing on the cake” this season.

Cespedes will be entering the third year of his four-year, $110 million contract this season. Once he is on the disabled list for 60 days, the Mets are expected to recoup some of Cespedes’ $29 million salary through insurance.

Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, and Michael Conforto are expected to comprise the Mets’ outfield until he returns with Juan Lagares and Keon Broxton on the bench as the team’s reserve outfielders.