52 Yoenis Cespedes CF

Cespedes (ankle) will be ready to hit at the start of spring training, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Cespedes is also making progress running and tracking fly balls, though it's not yet clear if he's expected to be fully ready to go by the start of the regular season. The 34-year-old has played a total of just 119 games over the last three seasons combined. He missed the entirety of the 2019 campaign, first due to recovery from a pair of heel surgeries and then due to a wild-boar-related ankle fracture.

Cespedes (ankle) will make a base salary of $6 million as part of a restructured contract agreed to Dec. 13, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Cespedes' new contract is heavily reliant on incentives after the 34-year-old missed all of 2019 and most of 2018 with an ankle injury. The outfielder had heel surgeries in August and October of 2018 prior to suffering an ankle injury in a fall at his ranch in May. Cespedes has been limited over the last two seasons with the Mets, but he has managed to record a .282/.343/.525 slash line with 26 home runs and 71 RBI over 119 games between 2017 and 2018. His availability for the beginning of the 2020 season is in question, but his base salary will rise to $11 million if he isn't on the injured list to begin the season.

Cespedes (ankle) and the Mets agreed to a restructured contract Friday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

Cespedes had been scheduled to make $29.5 million this season but will now make significantly less. The outfielder has appeared in just 119 games over the last three seasons combined. He's been hitting and running as he works his way back from multiple ankle fractures, injuries he suffered after taking a fall on his ranch back in May, though his availability for the start of the 2020 season remains in question. Due to the questionable nature of that injury, which occurred as Cespedes was recovering from heel surgery, the Mets were able to file a grievance and save reportedly over $10 million ahead of the 2020 season.

Cespedes (ankle) has been hitting for several weeks and has also started running, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

Cespedes is making measurable progress early in the offseason, which is a positive sign, though there's no guarantee that he'll be ready to play at any point during the 2020 campaign. He underwent ankle surgery at the end of May to address multiple fractures in an off-field accident.

Cespedes (ankle) took batting practice Tuesday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

The Mets have previously expressed doubt that Cespedes would be recovered enough from ankle surgery to play at any point in 2020, so the fact that he's already taking batting practice in mid-November is undoubtedly a positive sign. The outfielder's health has been an unwanted adventure for the Mets in recent seasons, however, so it's far too early to be overly confident in his status for the 2020 campaign.

Cespedes (ankle) continues to rehab from his injuries, but it's uncertain whether he will be able to play in 2020, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Cespedes suffered multiple right ankle fractures in an off-field incident in May which required surgery and could hinder his playing time in 2020. It's encouraging that he's been rehabbing, but it's still too early to tell whether the 34-year-old will be healthy enough to take the field next season. Over 38 games in 2019, Cespedes hit .262/.325/.496 with nine home runs and 29 RBI.

Cespedes underwent season-ending surgery on his right ankle Thursday, Matt Ehalt of Yahoo Sports reports.

He was in the process of lightly ramping up activity while rehabbing multiple heel surgeries when he suffered multiple right ankle fractures in an off-field incident this past weekend. Cespedes is due to make $29 million in 2020 before becoming a free agent in 2021. He only played in 38 games last year and was limited to 81 in 2017.

General manager Brodie Van Wagenen said Cespedes (heel) suffered multiple right ankle fractures over the weekend, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

The accident apparently happened at Cespedes' ranch in Port St. Lucie on Saturday. According to Tim Healey of Newsday, the veteran outfielder is currently in New York being further evaluated, and the Mets don't know what this could mean for Cespedes in 2019 and beyond. Cespedes is already on the 60-day injured list rehabbing from heel surgeries he underwent in August and October.

Cespedes (heels) began light running and took batting practice on the field Friday, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports.

Cespedes has been throwing in the outfield and hitting in the batting cage for a few weeks, but this looks to be the start of his running program. The 33-year-old shouldn't be expected to return anytime soon, as general manager Brodie Van Wagenen answered "time will tell," when asked about Cespedes' prospects of playing in 2019.

The Mets transferred Cespedes (heels) to the 60-day injured list Monday.

The transaction has no bearing on Cespedes' recovery timetable, as the Mets had already ruled him out beyond the first 60 days of the season. A firm target date for Cespedes' 2019 debut probably won't come into focus until the 33-year-old gets cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. At this stage in his rehab, Cespedes has been able to throw in the outfield and hit in the batting cage, but he has yet to initiate a running program.

Cespedes (heel) has been hitting in the batting cage, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Cespedes continues to slowly work his way back from heel surgeries he underwent in August and October, respectively. The veteran outfielder is also working through a throwing program, though he has yet to resume running, leaving him without a timetable for his return.

Cespedes (heel) played catch in the outfield with the Mets prior to Monday's game, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com reports.

He joined up with the team in Miami to be evaluated by the training staff. Cespedes has been playing catch for a couple of weeks and, if his testing went well, could be cleared to begin taking some light swings with a bat. The 33-year-old has no timetable for his return and is still a long way from being cleared to run, perhaps the most important step in his rehab, but the club still hopes he'll see game action sometime in 2019.

Cespedes (heel) was officially placed on the 10-day IL, Matt Ehalt of The Bergen Record reports.

This move was a long time coming. It is not even a lock that Cespedes returns this season, although he said back in February that he expected to be back.

Manager Mickey Callaway said that Cespedes (heels) is scheduled to begin a throwing program Monday, Anthony Rieber of Newsday reports.

Cespedes is still recovering from surgeries on both of his heels, which he required in August and October. The Mets don't expect Cespedes to be ready to play until midseason, so his advancement to a throwing program shouldn't be taken as a sign that he's nearing a return to game action. With Cespedes likely set to open the season on the 60-day injured list and Jeff McNeil expected to fill in for Todd Frazier (oblique) at third base to begin the campaign, J.D. Davis and non-roster invitee Carlos Gomez could be the top candidates to draw most of the early starts in left field for the Mets. It's also possible the Mets may shift Brandon Nimmo over to left in order to open up more work in center for defensive standouts Juan Lagares and Keon Broxton.

Cespedes (heel) believes he will return at some point this season, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

The Mets have been vague about the outfielder's timeline, and Cespedes hasn't been able to offer up anything more concrete either, stating that he doesn't know if he'll be back in one month or three months. He doesn't intend to return until he's 100 percent healthy after playing a total of just 119 games over the last two seasons. Cespedes will start throwing next week, Tim Healey of Newsday reports, though he doesn't know when he'll return to hitting.

Cespedes has no timetable for his return from heel surgery this season, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. "If he gives us anything this year, that is great," special assistant to the general manager Omar Minaya said Wednesday.

Cespedes was shut down with heel problems in mid-July after appearing in just 38 games last season. He underwent a procedure to remove calcifications in his right heel in August and a similar procedure on his left heel in October. Reports around the time of that second surgery suggested that he would resume baseball activities in late February and would have a chance to return around the All-Star break, but the team is now backtracking. It's hard to justify taking a chance on Cespedes if the team isn't confident that he'll receive even a single at-bat this season.

Cespedes underwent a second surgery to remove the calcifications in his left heel Friday.

Cespedes is expected to resume baseball activities around late February/early March, though the Mets aren't anticipating him to return until the second half of the 2019 season, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. The main reason his return to the field is projected for a few months after he's initially slated to start activities is due to the fact that he won't be able to advance to a running program until late March. The outfielder is hopeful that he'll be able to return before the All-Star break. Cespedes previously underwent a similar procedure on his right heel in early August.

Cespedes' second heel surgery has been delayed, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

Cespedes was originally scheduled to go under the knife Tuesday, but the surgery was delayed due to a scheduling conflict. The veteran outfielder is still scheduled to undergo the procedure before the end of the month, keeping him on track to begin baseball activities around the end of February or beginning of March. Cespedes isn't expected to be able to run at that point, however, so he likely won't be ready for the start of spring training. Look for his status to be updated as he progresses in his post-surgery rehab program.

Cespedes will undergo a second surgery on his injured heel Oct. 23, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

The first surgery took place in early August, and as expected, the Cuban slugger will complete the second surgery a couple months afterward. Cespedes thinks he could return to baseball activities four months after the upcoming procedure, which would put him on track to do so in late February. However, he doesn't expect to be able to run at that point, so it's unlikely that he'll be ready for the start of spring training as things look now. Look for more updates on his status as he progresses in his rehab program following surgery.

Cespedes will undergo a procedure to removed bone calcification in his right heel Thursday.

This marks the first of two surgeries for Cespedes, with the other coming 2-to-3 months from now on the opposite heel. Thursday's procedure will be handled by Dr. Robert Anderson.