NEW YORK -- Yoenis Cespedes' years-long battle with leg injuries surfaced again this weekend, putting his short-term availability into doubt. Cespedes departed the Mets' 3-2 loss to the Rockies after one inning Sunday due to right quad tightness, a similar injury to those that cost him significant time in 2016.
Although Cespedes described his latest leg ailment as "different than in years before," he demurred when asked if he will be able to play Monday.
"I don't know," Cespedes said through an interpreter. "Maybe."
The first indication something was not right occurred in the eighth inning Saturday, Cespedes said, when he felt a tweak in his leg as he ran to beat out a double play. That did not stop Cespedes from stealing second base moments later, putting the tying run in scoring position in a one-run game.

A day later, Cespedes said he felt the injury again as he warmed up before the game. He played a half-inning on defense and singled in his first at-bat, then felt discomfort running from first to third on an Asdrubal Cabrera single. Cespedes scored on a sacrifice fly, but he did not return from the dugout for the top of the second. Brandon Nimmo replaced him on defense.

"I just made a decision as a precaution to avoid any serious injuries," Cespedes said.
The Mets' public relations staff announced Cespedes' injury as a tight right hip, and manager Mickey Callaway called it soreness "in his hip/groin area," but Cespedes clarified after the game that his quad is what's ailing. That's a significant distinction; due in large part to quad and hamstring injuries, Cespedes has played in just 245 games since the start of 2016, averaging 107 per season. He altered his offseason routine last winter in an effort to avoid such injuries, lightening up his weightlifting and taking up yoga.
Appearing in each of the Mets' first 32 games, Cespedes was hitting .246 with a team-high seven home runs and a .757 OPS at the time of his injury.
"We'll just have to see how he comes in tomorrow, I guess," Callaway said.