NEW YORK -- One by one, the Mets took their turns in team orthopedist Dr. David Altchek's examination room. First it was Zack Wheeler, his elbow barking. Fellow pitcher Noah Syndergaard later complained of similar discomfort. And outfielder Yoenis Cespedes entered with a sore left wrist, suffered during the middle innings of a 4-3 win over the Royals.
Like the others, Cespedes received relatively good news during his trip to Manhattan. Altchek diagnosed him with a mild sprain of his left wrist and administered a cortisone injection, which should allow Cespedes to avoid the disabled list. He will likely miss a game or two, but should return to action this weekend.
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"My wrist started bothering me and I didn't want to keep playing through that," Cespedes told a team interpreter before leaving Citi Field for his exam. "I don't really know when it happened. I just felt it kind of starting to bother me so I didn't want to push it. I'm not very worried about it. I think I'll be fine."
Though Cespedes said through the same interpreter that his injury did not occur on a swing, he visibly grimaced after fouling off a pitch in the fifth inning. The likely All-Star entered into a conversation with trainer Ray Ramirez during a stoppage in play, and although Cespedes initially stayed in the game, Alejandro De Aza replaced him on defense in the top of the sixth.

Cespedes' injury came just as he was rounding back into the form he displayed for much of the early season. At the time of his departure, he had reached base in five of his last six plate appearances, with a home run, a double, two singles and a walk. Overall this season, Cespedes is batting .290 with 18 home runs and 44 RBIs in 65 games. He missed time previously due to a lingering hip issue, but otherwise has been among the healthier Mets.
"I'm certainly concerned about it," manager Terry Collins said before Cespedes' examination. "Anytime you're a hitter and you're a big hitter, and your hands and your wrists have problems, it's a concern."
Cespedes skipped two games late last season after a pitch hit him on the left wrist, but returned to hit two home runs in the National League Division Series. His production trailed off only later in the postseason.