Yoenis Cepsedes is set to make his return to the
Mets lineup for the first time since mid-May when the Mets limp into Yankee
Stadium to begin the second half of the season tonight.
While the 2018 season is a lost cause as far as playoffs are
concerned, the Mets are hoping that Cespedes can ignite an offense that is near
the bottom in many important statistical categories.
The last time Cespedes played in a game, the Mets were a game over
.500 after a 4-2 loss to the Phillies on May 13. New York has gone 20-37 since,
highlighted by a franchise worst June where the club won only six games.
Cespedes was hitting .255 with eight homers and 28 RBI before he hit
the disabled list with a hip flexor strain and a quad injury that kept him out
for more than half the season. It’s been a slow return back with plenty of
setbacks. Cespedes only began running
two weeks ago.
In two rehabilitation games in Florida for the Golf Coast Mets
Rookie League team, Cespedes was 2-for-8 (.250) with a three-run homer, and
received time defensively in left field and first base.
Cespedes will DH tonight against the Yankees as New York tries to
limit the chances for the former All Star to re-injure the leg. The New York
Times also reported that Cespedes could find himself being a late-scratch from
Mickey Callaway’s lineup on most days, which is not a good sign.
Cespedes has two more years and $58.5 million coming to him through
the 2020 season. The Mets would love for Cespedes to post big numbers in August and
September, so they could possibly shop him in the off-season. However, the
chances that the Mets will get anything for a 32-year old outfielder with a
recent rash of injuries and a hefty contract is going to bring much in return
this winter.
In the meantime the club optioned struggling first baseman Dominic
Smith and pitcher Corey Oslwalt to Triple-A Las Vegas. Cespedes will bat second in the lineup
tonight behind lead-off man Brandon Nimmo.
The Cespedes return isn’t the only headline for New York entering
this weekend’s series against the Yankees. Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom
will both get the ball for the Mets at the Stadium, starting with Syndergaard
who squares off against Domingo German.
In a Subway Series that has absolutely no hype or attention, thanks
in major part to the Mets struggles, the Mets need a couple of wins to get the
second half off on the right.
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