Mets SS Asdrubal Cabrera suffers strained patellar tendon

NEW YORK -- New York Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera became the team's latest injury casualty when he came up lame after rounding third base and departed Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies after the first inning.

The team announced that Cabrera suffered a a strained patellar tendon in his left knee.

After crossing the plate on Neil Walker's triple, Cabrera required assistance from bench coach Dick Scott and trainer Ray Ramirez to reach the dugout. He was unable to put pressure on his left leg.

Cabrera dealt with that same injury during spring training. He was prescribed to be idle for two weeks in March, but ended up returning sooner.

Wilmer Flores shifted to shortstop and Kelly Johnson entered the game at third base once Cabrera departed.

With Jose Reyes having landed on the disabled list Saturday with a strained intercostal muscle on his left side, Flores is the only capable shortstop on the active roster. However, that is not his optimal position because of a lack of range. And he already was being tasked with filling in for Reyes at third base.

Assuming Cabrera is placed on the disabled list, the Mets could dip to Triple-A Las Vegas for bona fide shortstop Gavin Cecchini, a 2012 first-round pick. Or they could leave Flores at shortstop and promote another infielder such as T.J. Rivera, Matt Reynolds or Ty Kelly.

Cabrera had been one of the sturdier players on the injury-ravaged Mets. He has started 98 of the Mets' 104 games at shortstop this season.

The Mets already were playing Sunday without left fielder Yoenis Cespedes, who is dealing with recurring trouble with his right quadriceps.