NEW YORK — Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes has been put on the 15-day disabled list because of a sore right quadriceps, and feisty Manager Terry Collins has teed off on those wondering whether the outfielder aggravated his injury playing golf.

Cespedes hurt his leg July 8, and the injury has been nagging him since. On Wednesday, former big leaguer Kevin Millar tweeted a photo of himself playing golf with Cespedes earlier in the day. Asked about that image before Thursday night’s game at Yankee Stadium, Collins raised his voice.

“Golfing had nothing to do with his leg,” Collins said three hours before gametime. “I don’t care about perception. I deal with reality.”

The Mets recalled outfielder Brandon Nimmo from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill Cespedes’ roster spot. Cespedes went 1 for 5 in Wednesday night’s 9-5 loss to the Yankees and is hitting .292 with 22 homers and 59 RBI.

“Doctors have told us it probably had no impact on the injury positive or negative but, let’s face it, play golf during the day and then go out injured in the evening, it’s a bad visual, and I think he recognizes that … at this point,” General Manager Sandy Alderson said.

For now, Alderson suggested Cespedes will put his clubs aside.

“I’ve had conversations with his people, but not directly with Yoenis,” Alderson said. “But that message will get to him at least circuitously and probably directly.”

Collins says he doesn’t know when Cespedes might be able to play again. Collins said the team wanted to let the injury “quiet down” before resuming baseball activities.

“In retrospect it’s probable that we should have just put him on the DL at the beginning of this episode,” Alderson said. “Hopefully at the end of two weeks he’ll be back and hopefully 100 percent or close to it.”

YANKEES: Alex Rodriguez is back on the Yankees’ bench despite whopping career numbers against Mets starter Bartolo Colon, and it’s not certain when the slumping slugger will play again.

The 41-year-old Rodriguez wasn’t in the lineup Thursday night at Yankee Stadium for the wrapup of the Subway Series. A-Rod is in a 2-for-28 rut, is hitting .204 overall and has started once since July 22. He is stuck at 696 career home runs.

“I can’t really tell you when I’m going to play him,” Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said.

Rodriguez is 23 for 56 (.411) with eight home runs and 20 RBI lifetime against Colon – the most homers the 43-year-old right-hander has allowed to any hitter.

“Those are numbers from years and years ago,” Girardi said, pointing out they haven’t faced each other since 2012.

Newly promoted Gary Sanchez started at DH.

• Luis Severino is rejoining the Yankees’ rotation.

Dropped in May after starting 0-6, Severino was banished to the minor leagues for two months. He now will take the turn of departed Ivan Nova and start Tuesday at Boston.

WHITE SOX: Rookie shortstop Tim Anderson left in the first inning of Thursday’s 6-3 win over the Tigers with a bruised left hand after being hit by a pitch. X-rays were negative.

RAYS: Tampa Bay claimed catcher Bobby Wilson off waivers from Texas and optioned catcher Curt Casali to Triple-A Durham.

PHILLIES: Manager Pete Mackanin said 22-year-old right-hander Jake Thompson will make his first big league start Saturday at San Diego.

Thompson was acquired last season as part of the deal that sent left-hander Cole Hamels to Texas.