ST. LOUIS — Yoenis Cespedes is present in body, even on gimpy legs, but the Mets could use a cameo from his bat.
Simply, the Mets need their biggest offensive piece to emerge from his recent slump and, if not carry the lineup in the manner that is expected, at least contribute.
Cespedes, like many of his teammates, went quietly at the plate Saturday in a 4-1 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium that guaranteed the Mets a losing road trip heading into the All-Star break.
Cespedes went hitless in four at-bats, falling to 6-for-42 (.143) over his past 10 games — a stretch in which he has not hit a home run.
He later declined to speak with reporters.
“He’s our run-producer, he’s the middle of our lineup and we have to get him going,” manager Terry Collins said. “When you see what he’s done in the past I think he’s doing the same things. I have watched his [pregame] work, he’s just not barreling up the ball. He’s getting some pitches to hit and not doing any damage with them.”
The Mets (39-46) lost for the fourth time in five games, generating their only offense on Jay Bruce’s homer in the seventh inning. Cespedes has started July in a 2-for-20 (.100) drought, leaving Collins to wonder if a breakout is near. Or maybe Cespedes could use the breather that will come with the All-Star break, beginning Sunday night, but he also has had a fair amount of downtime lately.
Cespedes returned to the lineup Friday, after a hamstring cramp had left him sidelined three days earlier in Washington. The Mets had a rainout Wednesday, followed by an off day to further rest their $110 million left fielder.
Zack Wheeler (3-6) had his best start in a month, allowing two earned runs on eight hits over six innings with five strikeouts and one walk. It snapped a streak of three straight starts in which Wheeler failed to pitch beyond the fourth inning.
The righty was asked to evaluate his first half, which followed two missed seasons rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
“I felt fine most of the time and those past three games got away from me,” he said.
Fernando Salas’ rocky season continued by allowing a run in the seventh that extended the Mets’ deficit to 3-1 before Erik Goeddel entered and struck out Yadier Molina with the bases loaded. Rafael Montero allowed another run in the ninth.
Adam Wainwright (10-5) carried a shutout into the seventh for the Cardinals, but never completed the inning. The veteran right-hander lasted 6 ²/₃ innings in which he allowed one earned run on five hits with seven strikeouts.
Bruce’s 23rd homer of the season — and second in as many games — pulled the Mets within 2-1 in the seventh. T.J. Rivera and Jose Reyes each singled later in the inning before reliever Matt Bowman escaped the jam by retiring Travis d’Arnaud.
Wheeler received a boost from d’Arnaud in three straight innings to escape unscathed. In the third, d’Arnaud nailed Tommy Pham attempting to steal second, ending the inning. In the fourth, Molina was caught stealing third by d’Arnaud as part of a strikeout/throwout. In the fifth, Paul DeJong broke for third on Wainwright’s squib and was thrown out by d’Arnaud.
“I just try to make a good, clean throw and that’s all I can control,” said d’Arnaud, who had nailed just four of 30 runners (13 percent) attempting to steal against him this season before Saturday.
DeJong homered leading off the third to put the Mets in a 1-0 hole. The blast was the Cardinals’ fifth in two games — they hit four solo blasts over a two-inning stretch against Jacob deGrom on Friday.
Overall, Collins said he was pleased with Wheeler’s outing.
“When we get out of the break I think he will be ready to push forward,” Collins said. “How far, how long, we don’t know yet. But I think his arm has bounced back.”