On a hectic day at Citi Field, the slumping New York Mets announced they are sticking with embattled manager Mickey Callaway "for the foreseeable future'' -- and that sidelined slugger Yoenis Cespedes broke his right ankle in an accident on his ranch.
Cespedes has not played this season after undergoing surgery to remove calcification on both of his heels last year. Those surgeries were expected to keep him sidelined for at least half of this season, but this latest setback puts Cespedes' entire season in jeopardy.
General manager Brodie Van Wagenen said Monday the team learned Saturday night that Cespedes had broken his right ankle in a fall on his ranch in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where the club's spring training complex is located, and suffered multiple fractures in the accident.
"He had a violent fall in which he stepped in a hole and put his leg and foot in a difficult position," Van Wagenen said.
Cespedes, 33, returned to New York for further evaluation at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Van Wagenen said, adding that Cespedes told the team he did not fall off a horse. Van Wagenen said it was too early to speculate how long this latest injury might keep Cespedes out.
Van Wagenen also said the team called a meeting Monday "to make clear to the coaches, make clear to Mickey ... and the players" that the front office has given Callaway its full support.
"Mickey is our manager now," Van Wagenen said. "Mickey is our manager going forward."
Callaway's job was widely speculated to be in jeopardy following a sweep over the weekend by the last-place Marlins.
"I think Mickey has the respect of the players," Van Wagenen said. "... We believe that Mickey has the pulse of the clubhouse and we believe that the support he has around him will be keys to success."
Callaway also spoke Monday and reversed course on the team's latest controversy: Robinson Cano's failure to run hard after hitting a ground ball on Sunday. It was the second time in three days Cano had failed to run out a ground ball.
After defending the second baseman on Sunday, Callaway on Monday called such behavior "unacceptable."
"He understands that it's unacceptable to not run balls out," Callaway said. "He understands that he needs to do that at all times."
Cano was out of the Mets' lineup Monday night for the opener of a series against the Nationals at Citi Field. Callaway said he had spoken with Cano several times.
Callaway declined to call it a benching, saying that Cano needs a day off. Jeff McNeil gets the start at second base. Cano, for his part, told reporters before Monday's game that he was never told he's on the bench partly for failing to run. He said it was a prearranged off-day for him.
"Things are piling up on Robbie right now," Callaway said Sunday. "Come on, let's face it -- the ball lands foul and spins into fair territory. He saw it hit foul, and by the time he looked back up the ball had spun into fair territory and the play was over. Stuff happens like that when things are going bad."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.