New York Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes expects to miss three days after leaving Sunday's 14-2 victory over the San Diego Padres with an injured left thumb.
Cespedes suffered the injury in the third inning on a headfirst slide into third base. The veteran outfielder said he will undergo an MRI on Monday and, according to his timeline, could return to the Mets' lineup Thursday against the Atlanta Braves.
"It's not the first time this thing happened to me," Cespedes said through an interpreter, according to the New York Daily News. "When I was playing with Oakland, it happened a couple times. I would say I will take off three days."
Mets manager Mickey Callaway told reporters that X-rays on Cespedes' hand were negative.
The Mets have a day off Monday, so if Cespedes is sidelined for three days, he would miss the first two games of their home series against the Braves.
"This is not a big thing," Cespedes said. "I will take three days off and hopefully be back soon."
Cespedes, 32, has heated up over the past week after a slow start, batting .381 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs in his past six games. The two-time All-Star is hitting .233 with 6 homers and 25 RBIs, though leads the National League with 43 strikeouts in just 103 at-bats.