THE HEEL DEAL
Mets waiting on second opinion before deciding Yoenis’ future
Whether Yoenis Cespedes returns to the Mets lineup this season or moves toward surgery that would potentially eliminate part of 2019 for him hinged largely on two doctors’ visits Monday.
At the Mets’ behest, the All-Star outf ielder was examined by team physician David Altchek, who performed an MRI exam on the ailing slugger’s sore feet before Cespedes met with a specialist. The Mets were awaiting a diagnosis as their game against the Padres at Citi Field approached, but were unlikely to release any information until Tuesday.
The examinations came after a weekend at Yankee Stadium in which Cespedes surprised the team by saying he could need surgery for calcifications in both heels that would carry a total rehab time of eight to 10 months.
From the Mets’ perspective, surgery had previously been discussed only as a possible last resort for Cespedes, who has played only once since coming off the disabled list before Friday’s game.
“Part of the reason we’re having him be seen by these doctors is to give us more clarity,” assistant general manager John Ricco said. “It’s something he’s been dealing with to a certain degree for quite a while. What we’re looking to f ind out is if it’s progressed to the point where it’s something that cannot be managed with the conservative treatment that we’ve been using.”
The heel issues predate Cespedes’ Mets tenure and could be responsible for the leg injuries that have kept Cespedes on the disabled list for most of the last two seasons.
Cespedes was too sore for action Saturday and had volunteered to DH on Sunday against the Yankees — before the game was rained out — but was told to rest for precautionary reasons.
Ricco said Cespedes’ threshold to tolerate the discomfort will largely determine if he continues to play this season.
“As long as the doctors think he’s capable of doing it and he can play through the pain, we’ll have to make that decision as a group,” Ricco said.
“I think it’s going to be an open discussion between Yoenis and our medical team and ourselves about what’s the best course. I know he wants to play — that’s not an issue here. It’s, ‘Can he play, is it healthy for him to play and ultimately can he contribute in a positive way to us on the field?’ ”
Cespedes was placed on the disabled list with hip flexor/ quadriceps soreness on May 16, but his heels became an issue during his rehab. Cespedes had the heels examined in June, but no action was deemed as necessary.
He returned to the lineup on Friday and blasted a home run as part of a 2-for-4 performance against the Yankees.
“I know one thing: Yoenis wants to play baseball,” Ricco said. “If he can play — and we saw him [Friday] night even with the pain, he’s a differencemaking type guy and I know he wants to be out there.”