NEW YORK — Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera has injured his left knee and exited New York’s game against the Colorado Rockies.
Cabrera was hurt Sunday while scoring from first base on Neil Walker’s two-out triple in the first inning. As he looked back to find the ball, Cabrera stumbled immediately after rounding third and hobbled all the way home.
A few innings later, the Mets announced that Cabrera had a strained patellar tendon in his left knee — the same injury that sidelined him for a little more than two weeks during spring training this year.
Perhaps a slick spot played a role. The start was delayed 38 minutes by rain that fell much of the morning in Queens as the tarp covered the infield. In fact, a potentially wet field was one reason Mets manager Terry Collins held slugger Yoenis Cespedes out of the lineup.
Cespedes has been playing through a strained right quadriceps and left Saturday night’s rainy game after five innings when the nagging injury tightened up.
Fortunately for Cabrera and the Mets, there was no play at the plate after Walker’s drive caromed off the base of the outfield fence and far from right fielder Carlos Gonzalez. Cabrera, however, hunched over several steps after crossing the plate and needed assistance to get off the field.
He was helped by teammates and coaches from the on-deck circle into the dugout and down the runway toward the clubhouse. Wilmer Flores moved from third base to shortstop to replace Cabrera, and Kelly Johnson entered at third.
The 30-year-old Cabrera began the day batting .255 with 13 homers and 33 RBIs in his first season with New York.
The timing of his injury was particularly bad for the slumping Mets, who just put third baseman Jose Reyes on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, retroactive to Wednesday, because of a strain in his left ribcage. A natural shortstop, Reyes would have been the most likely candidate to fill the position.
In addition, Gold Glove centre fielder Juan Lagares went on the disabled list Friday with a sprained left thumb. Surgery is expected to sideline him for approximately six weeks.
The defending NL champions also have been without first baseman Lucas Duda (lower back) since May 21. Third baseman David Wright (neck surgery) and pitcher Matt Harvey (thoracic outlet surgery) are expected to miss the rest of the season.
