Coming into the season, the Mets gave off the impression that they were going to be very careful when it came to injuries, and they wouldn’t test the waters with players like they did in prior seasons.
That doesn’t appear to apply to the team’s superstar, Yoenis Cespedes, though, as he is playing at around 85% with an injured right quadriceps, as reported by Anthony Dicomo of MLB.com.
Had the Mets placed Cespedes on the DL retroactive to Wednesday, the left-fielder would have only missed a total of seven games, with two off days next week and a rainout last night.
Instead, though, the team has decided to allow him to play through pain and sat him sparingly. That is the recipe for disaster with the 32-year old.
The Mets have done that multiple times in the past with him, as he has claimed that he could play through it.
Almost every time, in the end, Cespedes had to hit the DL at some point, though, and sometimes for longer than initially expected.
With the team struggling to find consistent offense, it makes sense why they think this is the right approach. Taking away the team’s best hitter is usually not a cure for their offensive woes.
That being said, neither is risking the loss of that same player for multiple weeks. Cespedes has a history of quad and hamstring issues that have been a story for him basically every season the team has had him.
The left-fielder only appeared in 81 games last season and the Mets simply cannot have a repeat of that lowly number this season.
If the Mets were to DL him now, the team could make it retroactive to Friday’s game, which would mean he would only miss eight games.
Cespedes is hitting .248/.313/.457 with six doubles, a team-leading seven home runs, and 27 RBI. He has struck out 48 times in 129 at-bats.
The quad injury has visibly slowed him in left field where he has -1 defensive runs saved this season.
While the team could keep playing with fire and hope Cespedes’ leg issues continue to simmer just below the breaking point, they could just as easily get burned badly if the injury worsens and he ends up missing multiple weeks.
