NEW YORK _ A day after returning from his latest leg injury, Yoenis Cespedes was missing from the Mets' lineup Saturday against the Yankees after reporting to the ballpark sore.
Manager Mickey Callaway, who said Friday afternoon that Cespedes would be OK to play consecutive games, said Saturday morning that Cespedes would be checked out by a doctor.
It's not clear how much of Cespedes' soreness or doctor's appointment is related to the calcification in his heels, which he revealed late Friday night could require surgery and a possible rehabilitation of 8-10 months.
"We just need to continue to have him re-evaluated by the experts that know everything about what he's got," said Callaway, who added that he didn't have enough information to answer particulars about potential surgery.
That Cespedes couldn't play Saturday _ and returned to the dugout very sore after running out a ground ball Friday _ concerned Callaway. Cespedes missed more than two months of this season with what was initially called a mild strain of his right hip flexor. The Mets knew Cespedes' legs would require daily maintenance, but they thought his heels would hold up OK.
"We thought his heels were in a really good spot coming in, or we wouldn't have activated him," Callaway said. "He was good to go. We had numerous conversations with him and people that were working him out, and he was in a good spot.
"I feel bad for the guy. He has worked so hard. Seeing the stuff that he has to go through to get back. He worked so hard this winter. We talked about everything he tried to do to put himself in a good spot to come out and be healthy for the team. I feel for the guy. He's done everything he possibly can to stay healthy, and it's just not happening for him."
