Asdrubal Cabrera has been diagnosed with a strained patella tendon in his left knee and will be shut down for at least two weeks, the Mets announced.
Signed to a two-year, $18.5 million deal this offseason to take over as the Mets’ starting shortstop, Cabrera tweaked his knee while running the bases Thursday and flew back to New York to be examined by team doctors.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but Cabrera seems unlikely to be ready for Opening Day and will probably begin the season on the disabled list, which would all but guarantee Ruben Tejada will make the team out of spring training. Tejada and Wilmer Flores will fill in at shortstop for however long Cabrera is sidelined.
Cabrera played 143 games for the Rays last season and hit .265 with 15 homers and a .744 OPS at age 29. He’s played at least 135 games in each of the past five seasons, but has never been in the lineup more than 151 times in a season.