Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes is set to have surgery on his heel Thursday, the first of two procedures that will likely sideline him for eight to 10 months.
The Mets announced Wednesday that Cespedes will have surgery to remove bone calcification in his right heel. Dr. Robert Anderson will perform the operation in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Cespedes will later have the same surgery on his left heel.
Anthony Dicomo of MLB.com reports that the outfielder will first undergo surgery in that one, partially recover over multiple months, and then receive the same surgery in his left heel.
In terms of recovery time, Cespedes will miss a minimum of eight-to-ten months and possibly miss more time, but definitely will not return sooner.
It is unclear how much time, if at all, the 32-year old will miss next season. 2019 will mark the third year of a four-year, $110 million contract he signed back in December of 2016.
Cespedes’ deal is believed to have an insurance policy similar to David Wright’s in that the team could recoup close to the 75% of the money earned after the latter is on the DL for 60 days.
Cespedes was originally out with a strain in his right hip flexor before returning for one game last Friday. He had a .262/.325/.496 slash line with nine home runs in 38 games this season.
2018 is the second straight season where Cespedes missed significant time due to various injuries. He was limited to 81 games last season.
“Nobody likes to have surgery, go through surgery, anytime,” Cespedes said through an interpreter at a pregame news conference. “I tried to do my best, tried to stay on the field and play a lot.
Cespedes has been a difference-maker for the Mets when on the field. He sparked a run to the 2015 World Series by hitting 17 homers in 59 regular-season games. In January 2016, he signed a three-year deal with an opt-out clause after one season and went on to hit .280 with 31 homers and 86 RBIs in 132 games for New York, which reached the National League wild-card game.
