After the Mets released a statement earlier about Yoenis Cespedes’ absence from the ballpark, it appears that the reason has been determined.
Multiple industry sources indicated that Yoenis Cespedes was absent from the ballpark on Sunday because he had been considering opting out of the 2020 MLB season.
Soon after first pitch, Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen released a statement regarding the whereabouts of the slugging outfielder.
“As of game time, Yoenis Céspedes has not reported to the ballpark today. He did not reach out to management with any explanation for his absence. Our attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.”
Following the game, however, it was reported that the Cuban outfielder will be opting out of the remainder of the 2020 season due to concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Céspedes has located his power from time-to-time this year but has struggled to do so consistently. He will finish 2020 with a .161 average through the first nine games, including two home runs and four runs batted in. Céspedes had yet to play the field but had been ramping up slowly to a point where that would be a possibility.
