The right ankle fractures that helped to keep New York Mets slugger Yoenis Céspedes sidelined for the entirety of the 2019 season were caused during an unfortunate encounter with a wild boar, according to a New York Post report.

Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, Céspedes’ former agent, said in May the outfielder sustained multiple breaks in an accident at Céspedes’ ranch in Port St Lucie, Florida, where the club’s spring training complex is located – but a report published on Friday offered a fuller picture of the circumstances behind the injuries.

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According to the Post, Céspedes keeps traps on his ranch to keep boar away, but one boar was removed from a trap and “either charged toward Cespedes or startled him, causing Cespedes to step into a hole”.

The oft-injured outfielder agreed to a $110m, four-year contract in December 2016, but saw his base salary cut to $6m from its original $29.5m last month as part of an amended deal with the Mets that avoided a grievance hearing, according to details obtained by the Associated Press.

New York’s decision to withhold part of Céspedes’ salary was based on the claim that he was hurt during an activity prohibited by his contract’s guarantee language. The players’ association filed a grievance, and the sides settled on an amended contract before the case was argued.

As part of the new deal agreed to 13 December, Céspedes’ 2019 pay was cut from $29m to $22,919,355. Information sent to teams this year listed his pay as $14,811,828, so the amended contract appears to indicate he is receiving about $8m more for this year than the Mets originally paid.

If Céspedes doesn’t start next season on the injured list because of a right foot or ankle injury tied to his 18 May injury, his base salary would escalate to $11m. His base pay would rise to $11m as soon as he is on the active roster or on the IL for a non-related injury.

A two-time All-Star, the 34-year-old won a Gold Glove in 2015 and a Silver Slugger the following year.

Céspedes has played only 119 games since signing his nine-figure deal and only 38 since the end of the 2017 season.

The Mets went 86-76 last season, finishing third in the NL East.