Yoenis Cespedes (hammy) sits out again, but hopes to return Tuesday

Yoenis Cespedes was again held out of the New York Mets' lineup on Sunday because of a hamstring injury, with manager Terry Collins acknowledging the possibility the 31-year-old slugger could be headed to the disabled list if he's not fit to play by Tuesday.

Collins said Cespedes told him he felt a lot better, but it's unclear when the slugger will be able to play.

If he and catcher Travis d'Arnaud aren't much closer to healthy by Tuesday, the Mets might need to consider putting them on the disabled list, Collins added.

"I think we'd need to take a look at that," Collins said before Sunday's 6-3 loss to theWashington Nationalswhen asked if he would consider a DL stint for either Cespedes ord'Arnaud, who is nursing a wrist injury.

According to the Mets manager, Cespedes, who has now missed three straight games, "told me he felt a lot better today." Collins is hopeful the star outfielder will return for New York's series opener against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.

"He told me just a few minutes ago that he'd be ready for Tuesday," Collins said after the game, according to The New York Daily News.

The paper reported that Cespedes informed Collins during Sunday's game that he was available to pinch hit and would be ready to go for the Braves series. But Collins reiterated after the game that he is open to changing his plan if Cespedes' hamstring injury isn't sufficiently healed by game time Tuesday.

"There will be some things that he's gonna have to do before the game," Collins said. "Because if you remember last year, we ran through a similar situation. And first game that he played after taking a few days off he ended up getting hurt, we'll make sure that doesn't happen."

Cespedes limped off the field with a left hamstring cramp Thursday night in Philadelphia and did not return. Collins called the injury "a concern" and said at the time that Cespedes might be out for a few days.

Cespedes is batting .263 with six home runs and 10 RBIs.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.