MLB Player News

Cabrera has been diagnosed with a strained patella tendon in his left knee and will be shut down for two weeks, Newsday's Marc Carig reports.

Cabrera will receive a healing-assisting PRP injection in his knee Friday, after which he will be sidelined for two weeks. He will resume baseball activities after that, but the Mets will be cautious with him, so there is a chance he may not be ready to go by Opening Day. The duo of Ruben Tejada and Wilmer Flores will assume the shortstop duties in Cabrera's absence, and one figures to open the regular season as the Mets' primary shortstop if Cabrera is still not able to play by then.

Cabrera (knee) is flying to New York on Friday for a second MRI and to be examined by team doctors, the New York Post's Mike Puma reports.

This is not a good sign, as Cabrera received an MRI on Thursday night in Florida, so something obviously prompted the team to take a closer look back in New York. If he is forced to start the year on the disabled list, Ruben Tejada and Wilmer Flores are prime replacement candidates at shortstop in the interim. The results of the second MRI should be available sometime this weekend, so stay tuned.

Manager Pete Mackanin said that Howard (illness) will start Friday's game against the Braves as the designated hitter, Jim Salisbury of CSN Philadelphia reports.

Howard has been sidelined since Saturday with the flu, but it appears he has finally healed enough to get into game action in some capacity. Depending on how well he feels after Friday's bout, he could return to first base sometime over the weekend.

Cabrera will undergo an MRI Thursday night, not an X-ray, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports.

This development doesn't change the situation much, as it is thought to primarily be a precautionary measure. It means that they are a bit more worried about structural damage than bone damage, though, although both currently seem unlikely. His status will likely become more clear once the results are back.

Cabrera (knee) will undergo an X-ray on Thursday but the veteran infielder does not believe his injury to be serious, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports.

Cabrera left Thursday's spring training game after his knee appeared to give him trouble when he was running the bases. The results of Thursday's X-ray will shed more light on the severity of his injury, but the fact that Cabrera does not seem worried about the injury gives hope that the X-ray will just be precautionary.

Cabrera's injury which forced him out of Thursday's spring game has been classified as a sore left knee, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports.

Cabrera pulled up after advancing to second base on Yoenis Cespedes' flyball to left-center. There is no word on the extent of the soreness or how long Cabrera might be sidelined. Ruben Tejada replaced Cabrera at shortstop and would see playing time at the position along with Wilmer Flores for as long as Cabrera is out.

The Mets announced that Cabrera left Thursday's spring game with a sore left knee, MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports.

The Mets did not comment any further on Cabrera's status, but at first glance the injury that forced him from Thursday's spring contest does not appear serious. The Mets have two capable fill-ins in Ruben Tejada and Wilmer Flores should Cabrera's setback be more serious than it seems.

Cabrera left Thursday's spring game with an apparent left leg injury, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports.

Cabrera was injured while running the bases during the first inning of Thursday's spring game. The extent of his setback is uncertain, but expect his status to be updated when more details become available.

Freeman (wrist) will not play Thursday, but is planning on playing back-to-back games Friday and Saturday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

Freeman has looked good in spring training thus far, bashing two home runs and a double, but he'll rest his wrist on Thursday. This move just seems to be a way to reduce the stress on the first baseman's wrist, as he is hoping to avoid re-aggravating it during the spring.

Flores went 3-for-3 with an RBI during Tuesday's spring game against the Braves.

He missed a game last week due to illness, but has now played five of the last six days, showing no ill effects of the ankle injury he suffered during winter ball. The 24-year-old Flores figures to play primarily against lefties to start the year, though he could occasionally fill in at third base for David Wright against right-handers.