The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Yespedes!
Cespedes homers as DH in return to help Mets edge Braves in coronavirus-delayed opener
NEW YORK — Sure didn’t take much time for Yoenis Cespedes to swing right into a DH role in his long-awaited return.
Cespedes came back with a bang, immediately capitalizing on the new designated hitter rule in the National League by launching a home run that sent Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets past the Atlanta Braves 1-0 in their season opener Friday.
After five dominant innings from deGrom, who was popping the catcher’s mitt with 99 mph fastballs at the start, Cespedes connected in the seventh off reliever Chris Martin (0-1) for his first long ball since his previous major league game on July 20, 2018.
“I’m very excited. It was very exciting just to be able to play again,” Cespedes said though a translator. “I don’t have words for a situation like that.”
“It proved to me that I can still be the same player that I used to be,” he added.
The 34-year-old slugger missed most of the past two seasons with a string of leg injuries, requiring surgery on both heels and then a broken ankle after a bad fall at his Florida ranch in a reported run-in with a wild boar.
Rules changes for this shortened season delayed by the coronavirus provided a DH in NL games for the first time — giving the Mets a perfect slot for Cespedes even if left field presents a problem.
“The funny thing was I joked with him before the game, I said, ‘Why are you hitting for me?’ ” deGrom said. “Really happy for him.”
With no fans at Citi Field due to the pandemic, it was easy to hear teammates exclaiming in the dugout when Cespedes sent his drive soaring into the empty left-field seats.
Seth Lugo (1-0) tossed two innings, pitching out of trouble in the seventh, and Justin Wilson whiffed Ronald Acuna Jr. with a runner in scoring position to end the eighth.
Edwin Diaz, who lost his job as closer during a miserable 2019 season, struck out two in a hitless ninth for the save. He worked around a one-out walk, giving the 38-year-old Rojas a victory in his debut.
Afterward, Rojas got a game ball from his players and a celebratory shower that Rojas said was beginning to make his uniform stink.
Braves All-Star starter Mike Soroka, who won his previous two matchups with deGrom, allowed four hits in six outstanding innings. He was aided by two terrific grabs from three-time Gold Glove cen
ter fielder Ender Inciarte, who robbed J.D. Davis of a potential two-run homer.
Coming off consecutive Cy Young Awards, deGrom fanned eight and permitted only a broken-bat single and a walk. He was pulled after 72 pitches following a back-tightness scare early last week. The right-hander extended his scoreless streak to a career-best 28 innings dating to last season, the longest active streak in the majors.
Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman made his 10th straight Opening Day start after returning to camp a week ago from a frightening bout with COVID-19 that spiked his fever to 104.5 degrees.
Marcell Ozuna doubled and went 1 for 4 in his Braves debut.
FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR
The Mets improved to 39-20 in openers (despite losing their first eight), the best Opening Day winning percentage in the majors. They’ve won 12 of their last 15 — and 23 of the past 26 at home.
SENDING A MESSAGE
Both teams wore Black Lives Matter
T-shirts for batting practice and joined in holding a long, black ribbon on the field during a pregame message on the video board from many Black major-leaguers about eradicating racial injustice.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: The two-time defending NL East champions suddenly opened the 60-game season without their top two catchers, Tyler Flowers and Travis
d’Arnaud, after both showed coronavirus symptoms and were placed on the injured list. Flowers and d’Arnaud have tested negative, Snitker said, but did not travel with the team. … Alex Jackson and William Contreras were recalled to handle catching duties. Jackson batted ninth and struck out twice, falling to 0 for 15 in his big-league career. Contreras made his major-league debut on defense in the eighth. … LHP Cole Hamels went on the 45-day IL on Thursday with triceps tendinitis.
Mets: RHP Marcus Stroman (torn left calf muscle) said it was “shocking” that an MRI he thought was precautionary revealed a torn left calf muscle this week. “It’s nothing serious, nothing that I’m truly concerned about,” he said.
MONEY MAN
Because he didn’t begin the season on the IL with a foot injury, Cespedes’ salary rose from $2,222,222 prorated ($6 million before the schedule was shortened) to $4,074,074 ($11 million before the change).
UP NEXT
In a matchup of left-handers, Max Fried (17-6, 4.02 ERA) pitches the middle game of the series Saturday for Atlanta against Steven Matz (1110, 4.21 ERA).