CES WILL RETURN, BUT WHEN?
Rehabbing slugger shoots for return after All-Star break
PORT ST. LUCIE – Even if it's just for one month, Yoenis Cespedes thinks he will return to the field this year.
Speaking in his first press conference since undergoing dual heel surgery, Cespedes said he feels like the earliest he can return to the major leagues is around the All-Star break.
“At this moment, I do feel like I will return,” Cespedes said through a translator Friday. “It may be three months, it may be two months, it may be one month. But at this point, the way that I feel, I do think I can return.”
Cespedes had two separate surgeries last year to remove bone calcification in his right and left heels. The right heel surgery was in August while the left heel surgery was in October.
Cespedes is scheduled to begin throwing next week at Port St. Lucie during spring training. There is still no timetable on when he will begin hitting or catching. Cespedes said he has been rehabbing for four months, with a focus on strengthening his tendons.
“When I do return, I plan on being 100 percent like I was in 2015,” Cespedes said. “My body will be 100 percent like it was in 2015. That's what I plan on doing.”
The 33-year-old Silver Slugger said he feels much better than he did before surgery. There were moments when he would have a significantly hard time getting out of bed in the morning.
“I can't even say at the moment that I'm at 50 percent,” Cespedes said. “But when I used to wake up, I would struggle walking. But now, even at this stage of the rehab, I can definitely walk without any pain.”
Cespedes last played with the Mets on July 20 against the Yankees, hitting a three-run homer in his first appearance since being sidelined in May with a hip flexor strain. While Cespedes will again be forced to watch his team from the bench, the Gold Glover admitted the entire process has been frustrating for him.
“I don't know what to do with myself. I'm pretty bored,” Cespedes said. “I want to start with the team, but I can't right now … I don't like watching games like that because it frustrates me to watch, knowing I can't help. This year I'm going to be trying to watch a lot more, so I can call the players and I can be rooting for them and supporting them in the best way I can.”
Mets manager Mickey Callaway said he hasn't sensed that frustration from Cespedes so far this spring. Callaway said the All-Star slugger is likely emotional because he received the Mets' powerful message of dominating the NL East loud and clear. The manager thinks Cespedes just wants to contribute.
"Yo has always done a great job of taking care of himself and being strong,” Callaway said. “I shook his hand, he came up to me today, I think he was trying to show me how strong he is and he almost broke my hand messing around.”
The Mets are so confident about their squad in the first week of spring training that Cespedes' potential second-half return is seen as a bonus, not a last-ditch hope.
Rookie Jeff NcNeil is set to start in left field, Brandon Nimmo in center and Michael Conforto in right with outfield depth in Juan Lagares, Rajai Davis and Keon Broxton looming from the bench.
“Yo would just be the icing on the cake if he ends up helping us late in the season,” Callaway said.