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Cespedes won't talk injuries, boar incident: 'Not at all this year'

Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / Getty

New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is preparing for his long-awaited return to baseball.

However, his eyes - and mouth - are firmly fixed on the future instead of the past, he told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

"No," Cespedes replied when asked to discuss his recent tumultuous history. "Not today, not tomorrow, not at all this year."

The 34-year-old missed the entire 2019 season and most of 2018 due to multiple heel surgeries and an incident involving a wild boar on his ranch that resulted in a fractured ankle.

When healthy, Cespedes has been a force for the Mets since his trade-deadline acquisition from the Detroit Tigers in 2015. Following his arrival, Cespedes hit .287/.337/.604 with 17 home runs and 14 doubles in 57 games down the stretch.

The next season, he hit .280 with an .885 OPS, 31 home runs, and 86 RBIs in 132 games. He was named to his second All-Star team while finishing eighth in NL MVP voting.

Since then, Cespedes has appeared in just 119 contests over three seasons. He last played in a major-league game on July 20, 2018.

The veteran may not be talking to reporters about his progress, but he's apparently been getting in game shape this winter.

While Cespedes remains without a specific recovery timetable, he'll eventually join a deep Mets outfield consisting of Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, J.D. Davis, and Jake Marisnick. Additionally, both Jeff McNeil and Dominic Smith spent time in the outfield last season.

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