Mets’ Cespedes leaves Friday’s game with right hamstring strain

The Mets’ star outfielder was hurt trying to leg out an extra base.

The New York Mets just can’t seem to beat the injury bug. One day after All-Star outfielder Michael Conforto was lost for rest of the season because of a dislocated shoulder, Yoenis Cespedes left Friday’s game against the Nationals in the first inning with a right hamstring strain.

Cespedes drew a one-out walk against Nationals righty A. J. Cole, putting runners on first and second. Asdrubal Cabrera drove in Brandon Nimmo with a single for a 1-0 Mets lead.

Rookie Dominic Smith followed Cabrera’s hit with a single, but while trying to score, Cespedes grimaced as he rounded third base and then hobbled home.

While manager Terry Collins and Mets trainers tended to Cespedes, the ball was ruled to have hit second base umpire Andy Fletcher, causing a dead ball situation that took the run off the board. Cole retired the next two batters to limit the damage to a single run in the inning.

With New York carrying only three full-time outfielders on the roster, Cespedes was replaced by Matt Reynolds, who usually plays third base and has only sparingly appeared in the outfield. Thanks to a doubleheader on Sunday, the Mets are carrying only three bench players for the series against the Nationals.

Cespedes spent time on the disabled list after pulling his left hamstring in an April 27 game against the Braves. He also had a right quadriceps injury last season that caused him to miss the All-Star Game.

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A two-time All-Star and 2015 Gold Glove Award winner, Cespedes was hitting .292 with 17 home runs and 42 RBIs in 80 games this season. After the Tigers traded Cespedes to the Mets late in the 2015 season, he hit 17 homers in 57 games and led the team to the World Series.

Cespedes hit 31 home runs and drove in 86 runs in 132 games last season.