TAKING A BREAK

Mets Announces Slugger Yoenis Cespedes Has Opted Out of Season After Going AWOL

The team announced his step back hours after he failed to show up for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.

Hours after revealing they couldn’t make contact with Yoenis Cespedes, the New York Mets announced the slugger is safe but has decided to opt out of the rest of the season. General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen told NY1 the timing of that decision was “surprising without question.” Earlier in the day, Cespedes failed to show up at Truist Park for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves. Van Wagenen said in a statement that the 34-year-old “did not reach out to management with any explanation for his absence,” and that “attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.” Cespedes was not listed in the original lineup for Sunday’s game, but was the designated hitter for Saturday’s 7-1 loss against the Braves, during which he was struck out twice.

He had suffered injuries to his feet and legs and has not been in the lineup for nearly two years, but was the Met’s designated hitter for eight games this season.