SAN DIEGO -- Mets left fielder Yoenis Cespedes left Sunday's 14-2 win against the Padres with a sore left thumb, and expects to be out for three days. With an off-day Monday, Cespedes could return as early as Thursday.
"That's not the first time this has happened to me," Cespedes said through an interpreter. "I would say that I will need to take off three days."
Cespedes suffered the injury on a headfirst slide into third base in the third inning, and was replaced by Brandon Nimmo in left field. X-rays on the thumb were negative, and Cespedes will likely have an MRI on Monday when the Mets return to New York.
"I'm supposed to land with the base of my hand on the base, but I landed with my finger and it pulled it back," Cespedes said.
As part of a double steal in the Mets' two-run third, Cespedes slid in safe ahead of Padres catcher A.J. Ellis' throw on a close play. Manager Mickey Callaway and the trainer checked on Cespedes at third base, but he remained in the game and scored on a double by Adrian Gonzalez.
"I can move it," Cespedes said. "Right now I just put ice on it, but that's it."
Nimmo entered in the bottom of the inning and batted third in Cespedes' place. Cespedes had doubled, singled and scored twice in the contest prior to the injury, and had hit safely in six straight games. Nimmo collected two hits and drove in a run.