Very little about the first couple weeks of the 2020 MLB season can be considered a success. There have already been team-wide COVID-19 outbreaks, forcing postponements across the league schedule. And Rob Manfred doesn’t seem to be in any rush to take action beyond blaming the players.
So, with all that in mind, a mysterious disappearance of a Mets player shouldn’t have been that surprising. And, thankfully, everyone involved was OK.
On Sunday, Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes just straight-up didn’t show up for the Mets’ game against the Atlanta Braves. Nobody on the Mets had heard from Cespedes — he wasn’t answering his phone — and his absence wasn’t cleared ahead of time.
After spending much of the afternoon trying to track down their left fielder, the Mets ultimately found out through an agent that Cespedes was opting out for the MLB season. Apparently, Cespedes packed up his hotel room in Atlanta and left without telling anyone on the team.
Yoenis Cespedes is opting out of the 2020 season.
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) August 2, 2020
Team security showed up to his hotel room to find everything gone. What a way to let a team know you’re opting out, but you can’t really blame Cespedes given the state of this MLB season.
When Yoenis Cespedes didn't show up today, the Mets sent security to his room. They found it empty. He had taken his belongings, just up and left, and through his agent informed the team mid-game that he was opting out, according to Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2020
Cespedes was hitting .161 with two home runs in the early going of the season.
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