New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has been excelling from the plate in spring training, but Thursday against the Houston Astros, it was his defense that made headlines.
And for the wrong reasons.
Astros designated hitter A.J. Reed hit a deep fly ball over Cespedes’ head in center field during the second inning, and the Mets outfielder, in a bizarre scene, decided not to pick up the ball when it landed in the dirt at the bottom of the wall.
Cespedes claimed the ball was unplayable, but one of the umpires came out and quickly ruled in the Astros’ favor. The result was an inside-the-park home run for Houston.
This won’t help Cespedes’ case to be the Mets’ everyday center fielder this season.
