Updated 10:30 PM
After Wednesday night’s loss to the New York Yankees, manager Terry Collins announced to reporters that Yoenis Cespedes is headed to the DL and that Brandon Nimmo has been recalled.
Cespedes said he aggravated his quad in his final at-bat tonight. “I haven’t been able to contribute,” he told reporters after the game. He said he really needs to finally rest his quad.
Terrible turn of events for the Mets, but hardly surprising.
What Cespedes has needed more than anything is a week straight of rest, but he kept getting used in odd calls and situations.
Now Cespedes will get at least two weeks off if not more depending on the severity of this setback.
Too bad, and just when the team traded highly regarded second base prospect Dilson Herrera to add that big bat to protect Cespedes in the lineup in Jay Bruce.
So nearly a month after first straining his quad, the Mets are finally placing him on the DL.
Original Report – 10:00 AM
Jacob deGrom was superb on Tuesday night, but what I will take out of this game most – outside of Jay Bruce’s debut and a much needed victory – was Terry Collins’ decision to pinch-hit Yoenis Cespedes for Alejandro De Aza in the seventh inning.
The Mets were up by five at the time, so why bat for the player who homered and is your best defensive center fielder?
Cespedes’ RBI infield single was a moot point and foolish risk in my opinion.
“I just wanted to get him an at-bat,” said Collins, as if Cespedes somehow would forget how to hit before starting as the designated hitter on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
“I felt a little discomfort running down the line,” Cespedes said after the game. “But once I got back in the dugout it felt better.”
After running full throttle to beat out the hit, he was pulled and Curtis Granderson came in as a pinch-runner.
“Once I take a couple days off I feel better,” Cespedes said. “But once I go full speed, I feel the pain again.”
Luckily, Cespedes didn’t seriously hurt himself, but what if he had re-injured his strained quad? Why take that chance with the game seemingly out of reach? What was the benefit or the logic for that matter?
Sometimes, Collins makes me scratch my head and wonder. Other times he makes me want to throw a shoe at the TV.
