Yoenis Cespedes, the New York Mets‘ star that was behind the team rise to the World Series in 2015, hasn’t played in nearly two years. He has undergone multiple heel and ankle surgeries. However, people seem to have forgotten just how good the slugger was pre-injuries.
Thanks to a fantastic compilation of stats and analysis made by MLB.com’s David Adler, we find it easier to remember just how good the Cuban star is at hitting baseballs. A hint: he is very, very good.
Of course, it would be foolish for the New York Mets, and for fans, to expect 2015 production from Cespedes. After all, he hasn’t played since July 2018. Let’s take it easy with expectations. But if he is as healthy as he claims to be, watch out.
Per Adler, Cespedes said he’s ready to roll. He says that hitting Major League pitching is like “riding a bike,” which means that it could get some time to get used to, but you just don’t forget how to do it overnight.
The Mets masher
Upon arriving to the Mets on July 31, 2015, he played 59 games to end the year, which is roughly the equivalent of the 2020 season.
In that span, he hit 17 home runs, slug .604 with a .942 OPS and virtually carried the Mets’ offense into the postseason.
This year, he doesn’t have to carry the lineup all by himself. He has Pete Alonso to do that. But speaking of the Polar Bear, look at this comparison of each player’s peak performance in a 60-game span:
HR: Céspedes — 23 | Alonso — 22
RBIs: Céspedes — 61 | Alonso — 51
SLG: Céspedes — .687 | Alonso — .639
OPS: Céspedes — 1.041 Alonso — 1.022
wRC+: Céspedes — 183 | Alonso — 166
Cespedes may not be at his 2015 form this time around, but don’t discount him. He has hit 74 homers as a Mets’ player in 308 games, or nearly a 40-homers-per-season pace.
Let’s hope he’s healthy, because if he is, he could be a fantastic complementary piece for the Mets in their quest for the postseason.