Yoenis Cespedes Is Missing From the Mets, the Team Says

Cespedes, 34, made an immediate impact as the designated hitter in the season opener when he stroked a home run to propel the Mets over the Braves, 1-0. It was his first home run since his previous major league game, on July 20, 2018.

But he has struggled since, posting a batting average of .161 through eight games. On Saturday, he struck out twice and was 0 for 4 as the Mets lost, 7-1.

The Mets acquired Cespedes from the Tigers just before the trade deadline in 2015 and rode his bat to the World Series. That off-season, he signed a three-year contract worth $75 million to remain a Met. He exercised his opt-out clause the next winter after hitting 31 home runs and 86 R.B.I.

Cespedes was viewed at the perfect complement to Pete Alonso, the reigning rookie of the year in the National League, as well as Jeff McNeil, a utility fielder who emerged as the team’s most consistent hitter last season during Cespedes’s absence.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/02/sports/baseball/Cespedes-missing-Atlanta.html