Yoenis Cespedes was signed to be a big bat for the New York Mets, but Omar Minaya’s latest comments on his rehab from surgery are concerning.
The New York Mets opened up their coffers when they signed Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year contract worth $110 million in 2017. Since that deal was inked, Cespedes has only played in 119 games out of a possible 324.
Cespedes underwent surgery on both heels last summer and there is still no timetable set for the slugger’s return. Special assistant to the general manager (and former Mets GM) Omar Minaya spoke with MLB Network Radio about Cespedes’ recovery.
“Right now, there’s not a specific timetable to date,” Minaya said. “But he had those two operations. Usually we don’t like getting into specific timetables. We just want to get him back, and if he comes back, anything — if he gives us anything this year, that is gravy. We’re happy for that.”
That isn’t a rosy outlook for Mets fans. The Cespedes signing was a relief because of the organization’s reluctance to hand out big contracts. Unfortunately, this contract looks like it’s backfiring on the Metropolitans.
If Cespedes can return to the field in 2019 and provide anything for the Mets, they’ll take it. But it doesn’t sound like anyone should have high hopes for that.
The oft-injured Cespedes was supposed to be a mainstay in the middle of the lineup when the Mets pushed their chips into the middle of the table for him. Unfortunately, it’s looking more and more like Cespedes is about to have another lost season.
