Mets: Playing Golf Had Nothing To Do With Cespedes' Trip To DL
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes has been put on the 15-day disabled list because of a sore right quadriceps, and a feisty manager Terry Collins has teed off on those wondering whether the outfielder aggravated his injury playing golf.
Cespedes hurt his leg July 8, and the injury has been nagging him since. On Wednesday, former big leaguer Kevin Millar tweeted a photo of himself playing golf with Cespedes earlier in the day. Asked about that image before Thursday night's Subway Series game at Yankee Stadium, Collins raised his voice.
"Golfing had nothing to do with his leg," Collins said three hours before gametime. "I don't care about perception. I deal with reality."
The Mets recalled outfielder Brandon Nimmo from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill Cespedes' roster spot. Cespedes went 1 for 5 in Wednesday night's 9-5 loss to the Yankees and is hitting .292 with 22 homers and 59 RBIs.
"Doctors have told us it probably had no impact on the injury positive or negative but, let's face it, play golf during the day and then go out injured in the evening, it's a bad visual, and I think he recognizes that it at this point," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said.
MORE: Bruce Ends Hitless Streak With 3-Run Shot, Mets Beat Yankees 4-1
For now, Alderson suggested Cespedes will put his clubs aside.
"I've had conversations with his people, but not directly with Yoenis," Alderson said. "But that message will get to him at least circuitously and probably directly."
Collins says he doesn't know when Cespedes might be able to play again. Collins said the team wanted to let the injury "quiet down" before resuming baseball activities.
"In retrospect it's probable that we should have just put him on the DL at the beginning of this episode," Alderson said. "Hopefully at the end of two weeks he'll be back and hopefully 100 percent or close to it."
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
