Mets place Cespedes on 10-day DL with strained hip flexor
Yoenis Cespedes has been banged up for most of the season, and the New York Mets finally decided it was time for an extended break.
On Wednesday, the Mets placed the two-time All-Star on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right hip flexor, retroactive to May 14, the team announced.
"He could have continued to gut it out, continued to play," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. "We were hoping with the off-day and days like that, the progression would be there at some point, maybe this would go away while he was playing. ... (We decided to) take a different route and make sure that we are cautious with him and get him back to being the Cespedes he can be soon."
Cespedes first injured his hip on May 6, but played through the injury for five games. An MRI on Tuesday revealed the strain, and the Mets finally decided to make the move a day later.
Since the beginning of March, Cespedes has also dealt with injuries to his right wrist and left thumb while appearing in 37 of New York's 41 games.
The 32-year-old is hitting .255/.316/.474 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs, but has also struck out 50 times - tied for fourth most in the National League.
In a corresponding move, the Mets recalled utility player Phillip Evans.