Life without Yoenis Cespedes hasn’t treated the Mets very well. Fortunately for them, it won’t be much longer until he is back, according to manager Terry Collins.
Cespedes (right quadriceps) will begin a rehabilitation assignment as the designated hitter Monday with Single-A Port St. Lucie then play the outfield the next two days. He is expected to be back Friday against the Giants in San Francisco, the first day he is eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list.
Collins said he is unsure if Cespedes will play center fielder when he returns.
“I do expect [he’ll play Friday],” Collins said before the Mets’ 3-2, 11-inning win over the Padres at Citi Field. “He said I’ll see you … in San Francisco.”
Cespedes could be joined back in the lineup by another injured starter too, with shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera progressing from the strained patella tendon in his left knee. Cabrera ran, took ground balls and went through batting practice Saturday, and Collins said he thinks Cabrera could start playing in rehab games by Tuesday, and possibly join the Mets in San Francisco, too.
“Those guys cannot get back at a better time,” Collins said. “We need them. We need their leadership, besides their playing ability.”
Before the game, the Mets promoted pitcher Gabriel Ynoa and demoted Logan Verrett, who had racked up a 7.18 ERA in seven starts replacing Matt Harvey in the rotation, and the move paid immediate dividends. With heavily worked relievers Hansel Robles and Seth Lugo unavailable, Ynoa pitched a perfect 11th to pick up his first major league victory, becoming the first Mets reliever to win his big league debut since Kenny Greer in 1993.
“If you want something in life and you put your mind to it, you can accomplish it,” Ynoa said through a translator. “I was very emotional today to have this opportunity.”
Moving forward, Ynoa will be the Mets’ long man with Jon Niese replacing Verrett as a starter next Wednesday against the Diamondbacks. Niese, reacquired by the Mets from the Pirates on Aug. 1 for reliever Antonio Bastardo, has been working out of the bullpen after struggling as a starter with the Pirates.
“I think my pitching coach [Dan Warthen] knows Jon Niese better than anybody,” Collins said. “I think Dan will get him back on track.”
Jose Reyes (left oblique strain) was activated from the 15-day disabled list and scored a run in four hitless at-bats. Matt Reynolds was sent to Triple-A before the game.
The Mets hosted the first Pride Night by a New York major sports team, welcoming over 5,000 baseball fans from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Billy Bean, the MLB vice president for social responsibility and inclusion, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. A former major league player, Bean said the Royals playing “American Woman” in an attempt to make fun of Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard because of his long hair while he was warming up on April 6 was an example of how archaic and short-sighted attitudes still need to change.