NLCS 2015: Yoenis Cespedes forced to leave Game 4 with shoulder injury

Ryan Fagan

NLCS 2015: Yoenis Cespedes forced to leave Game 4 with shoulder injury image

CHICAGO — The first couple innings of a potential clinching Game 4 of the National League Championship Series played out almost exactly as the Mets would have imagined in their wildest dreams. 

Well, except one thing. After they'd built their lead to 6-0 by the second inning, they had to made a lineup change.

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Juan Lagares came in to play center field for an injured Yoenis Cespedes. The Mets won't say anything about the severity of the injury until after the game (and maybe not even then), but they did announce that Cespedes left the game with left shoulder soreness. 

Cespedes walked and scored in his first at-bat, then struck out looking in his second. 

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It's possible, of course, that they just decided to make the move with the six-run cushion. If the Mets do finish off the sweep, he'll have six full days to rest before the start of the World Series. (UPDATE: The Mets, indeed, finished off the sweep, winning 8-3.)

It's also possible that he was hurting enough to come out regardless of the situation.

Also, this picture is making its way around the Internet. Cespedes reportedly played golf Wednesday morning. 

Of course, this could mean absolutely nothing. Lots of people play golf without hurting themselves every day. It's just odd timing, y'know? UPDATE 2: Cespedes says golf wasn't the culprit:

And he says he'll be on the field for the World Series, whatever his condition. From ESPN.com:

"I'll be ready by Sunday," Cespedes said through an interpreter. "If not, I'll chop it off and put a new one on."

Ryan Fagan

Ryan Fagan Photo

Ryan Fagan, the national MLB writer for The Sporting News, has been a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2016. He also dabbles in college hoops and other sports. And, yeah, he has way too many junk wax baseball cards.