The Mets officially activated OF Yoenis Cespedes ahead of Saturday’s game against the Nationals.
Cespedes was acquired from the Tigers on Friday in exchange for Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa, two minor league pitching prospects.
Cespedes will become the 11th Cuban-born player to play for the Mets. The others are Rey Ordonez, Orlando Hernandez, Livan Hernandez, Raul Valdes, Jorge Toca, Eli Marrero, Chico Fernandez, Jose Cardenal, Ed Bauta, and Alay Soler.
Cespedes, 29, is hitting .293 with 18 home runs and 61 RBI in 102 games in 2015. He has 48 extra-base hits, which is third among big league outfielder behind Bryce Harper (54) and Mike Trout (51).
To make room on the active roster for Cespedes, the Mets optioned Michael Conforto to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Cespedes is first in defensive runs saved for leftfielders this season with 11. Cespedes has also registered nine outfield assists this season, which is currently tied for fifth-most in the American League. Since his debut in 2012, Cespedes has 44 outfield assists, which is second in the American League in that stretch behind Kansas City’s Alex Gordon, who has 45.
Last season, Cespedes began the season with Oakland but finished the 2014 season with Boston after a mid-season trade. He set career-highs in hits (156), doubles (36), triples (six), RBI (100), extra-base hits (64) and total bases (270) during his All-Star campaign.
In 2013, Cespedes participated and won in the Home Run Derby at Citi Field as part of the All-Star festivities with 32 total home runs. He then won the Home Run Derby in 2014 and joined Ken Griffey, Jr. as the only players in major league history to win back-to-back Home Run Derby titles.
As for Conforto, he will likely be back in a month when rosters expand. He’s got to play everyday right now, and that’s going to be hard with Cespedes and the other new players in the fold.
In a way, he’s getting a promotion by going to Triple-A, a place belonged in before he got promoted to the Mets last week. That’s not to say he doesn’t belong here now, but he could use the everyday experience in Las Vegas.
The 40-man roster is now full.
Just Mets 