The Loop

It can't possibly be true that Yoenis Cespedes was hanging out at a mall on Sunday

If we’ve said it once we’ve said it a thousand times: the New York Mets are an absolute dumpster fire of an organization. But this year, at least at first, was supposed to be different. Former Met Carlos Beltran was supposed to be the manager. Billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen was supposed to buy the team from the wretched Wilpons, in turn saving the franchise. Yoenis Cespedes was supposed to return to a lineup desperate for a game wrecker. The pitching staff was supposed to realize it’s full potential. For the first time since the fall of 2015, the Mets fan base was *gulp* optimistic…..

All that went out the window faster than you could sing “Meet the Mess.” Beltran was canned for his involvement in the Astros cheating scandal. Cohen is still apparently interested in buying the team, but A-Rod and J-Lo seem to have other ideas. Noah Syndergaard underwent Tommy John surgery in March. Jarred Kelenic, who the Mets sent away in the Edwin Diaz/Robinson Cano trade, might be the real deal. Oh, and Diaz and Cano haven’t exactly been good, though Cano has at least produced a little bit offensively.

In other words, everything that could have gone wrong since the hiring of Beltran has gone wrong. Par for the course in Flushing. BUT, at least Cespedes was back in the lineup, and many Mets fans believed he’d have a big year since it was a “prove-it” season as he’s about to hit free agency. On Opening Day, Cespedes’ solo homer, his first since 2018, powered the Mets to a 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves. For a brief moment, the optimism returned…

Crap, did I use that already? Oh well, it applies again. Since the Opening Day victory, the Mets are 2-7, and on Sunday Cespedes literally went missing. Fortunately, he’s just fine, but he is opting out of the 60-game season over COVID-19 concerns after just 10 games. That’s 100 percent his right, and he may not be the only star player to do the same soon. The MLB has shown that it’s not doing a very good job of handling the whole pandemic thing. Mets fans have a right to be angry with the $110 million man who played just 127 games during his four-year contract, but you have to respect his decision here.

That was until a photo of Cespedes with a few bros at a mall went viral on Monday morning. You cannot make this stuff up:

Let’s be very clear: there is absolutely zero confirmation that this photo was taken on Sunday. It’s not even clear where the photo was taken. Chances are it is not from yesterday, though everyone wearing a mask is going to make everyone immediately assume it was. Also, it’s not even 100 percent confirmed that it’s Cespedes (though it sure looks like him!).

Personally, I refuse to believe Yoenis Cespedes completely went dark with the organization and went to a mall. He’s made some odd moves during his Mets tenure, but I don’t think he’s this tone deaf. The photo is likely from a few weeks ago. Pray for Mets fans anyway.