On a hectic day at Citi Field, the slumping New York Mets have announced they are sticking with embattled manager Mickey Callaway “for the foreseeable future” — and sidelined slugger Yoenis Cespedes broke his right ankle in an accident on his ranch.
Cespedes has not played this season after undergoing surgery to remove calcification on both of his heels last year. Those surgeries were expected to keep him sidelined at least half of this season, but this latest setback certainly puts Cespedes’ entire season — and perhaps his career — in jeopardy.
General manager Brodie Van Wagenen says Monday the team learned Saturday night that Cespedes broke his right ankle in a fall on his ranch in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where the club’s spring training complex is located, and suffered multiple fractures in the accident.
“He had a violent fall in which he stepped in a hole and put his leg and foot in a difficult position,” Van Wagenen said.
Cespedes, 33, returned to New York for further evaluation, Van Wagenen said, adding that Cespedes told the team he did not fall off a horse, and it was too early to speculate how long his latest injury might keep him out. The outfielder was in New York being examined at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
Meanwhile, Van Wagenen also said the team called a meeting Monday “to make clear to the coaches … to Mickey … and the players” that the front office has given manager Mickey Callaway its full support.
“Mickey is our manager now,” Van Wagenen said. “Mickey is our manager going forward.”
Calloway’s job was widely speculated to be in jeopardy following a sweep over the weekend by the last-place Marlins.
“I think Mickey has the respect of the players. …We believe that Mickey has the pulse of the clubhouse and we believe that the support he has around him will be keys to success.”
Callaway also spoke Monday and reversed course on the team’s latest controversy, Robinson Cano‘s failure to run hard after hitting a groundball on Sunday. It was the second time in three days Cano had failed to run out a ground ball.
After defending the second baseman on Sunday, Calloway on Monday called such behavior “unacceptable.”
“He understands that it’s unacceptable to not run balls out,” Callaway said. “He understands that he needs to do that at all times.”
Cano was out of the Mets’ lineup Monday night for the opener of a series against the Nationals at Citi Field. Calloway said he had spoken with Cano several times.
Calloway declined to call it a benching, saying that Cano needs a day off. Jeff McNeil gets the start at second base.
On Sunday, Calloway had said when things are going bad those things happen.
“Things are piling up on Robbie right now,” Callaway said Sunday. “Come on, let’s face it — the ball lands foul and spins into fair territory. He saw it hit foul, and by the time he looked back up the ball had spun into fair territory and the play was over. Stuff happens like that when things are going bad.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.