New York Mets: Will Yoenis Cespedes Opt Out?

Yoenis Cespedes was expected to opt out of his three-year deal with the New York Mets because of his production this season. But, he’s said that he is looking to return to the team next season. Is this just smoke or is the star outfielder seriously considering staying?

This past offseason was the year of the opt-out clause. Many prime free agents like David Price, Johnny Cueto, Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Dexter Fowler had clauses in their new contracts where they could go back to free agency to see if they can top the value of the deal they just signed. One of the more surprising signings of the winter was when Yoenis Cespedes went back to the New York Mets on just a three-year pact.

Going into the offseason, the 30 year-old outfielder had probably the best run of his career after he was traded to the Mets at the deadline. Cespedes hit .287 and hit 17 homers in just 57 games with the eventual National League champions. His slugging percentage of over .600 with the Mets was also a career-high. While his postseason performance left a lot to be desired, but the former Cuban star was clearly one of the best offensive options on the market.

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So when he signed with the Mets for that short-term deal, many people were left scratching their heads. Granted the offensive market was not great, as the likes of Ian Desmond and Dexter Fowler got short-term deals too. Cespedes did get flexibility as he could opt-out after the first year of his contract, or if he struggles, the power hitting outfielder could stay for another two years at just under $24 million a season.

Cespedes has far from struggled in 2016, though. Right now, he has a batting average of .292, and his on-base percentage is up from what it has been over his career, at .362. While this doesn’t seem like eye-popping statistics for any normal slugger, Cespedes’ career on-base percentage of .325 signals that he has improved his approach at the plate.

Taking all of these factors into account, it seemed like a no brainer that the all-star outfielder would decide to enter free agency again, especially with the free agent class being much weaker than the one he was a part of last offseason. However, Cespedes has recently opened up about his desire to stay with the Mets for the remainder of his deal.

When speaking to Bob Klapisch of the NorthJersey.com, Cespedes said through an interpreter that he does intend to remain with the Mets for the whole three years of his contract. This is rather surprising because he will most certainly be able to get much more security if he were to enter free agency again this winter, while also possibly increasing his dollar value per season.

It is clear that Cespedes does like playing in New York, as he did take a shorter term deal to remain with the team, but not opting out would go against what athletes want most of the time, which is getting the most value possible. There is a chance also, that the outfielder may just be being a good teammate and deciding to keep the focus on the remainder of this season, as Cespedes did go onto clarify his statements later in the day.

Mike Puma of the New York Post did ask the outfielder to expand on his prior statement that he would remain with the club after 2016, to which Cespedes gave a much murkier answer.

"“I’ve said it before: My intentions, of course, are to be here for three years and if I can spend the rest of my career with the Mets I would,” Cespedes said. “My focus is just to play baseball and help the team win, hopefully make it to the playoffs. I let my agents worry about all that.”"

Whenever a player points to his agent in an interview regarding a contract, it normally means that they are more than likely going to be looking for the most money available, which would signal that free agency is the most likely route. There is always a chance that Cespedes could decide to return of he starts to slump in a major way towards the ends of the way. However, with the numbers he is putting up and the fact that he would probably be the best hitter, or maybe even top overall player in free agency, making it unlikely that would decide to opt back in with the Mets.

Cespedes’ comments should be taken with a grain of salt given that he is probably trying to remain focused on this season. But when the time comes, and he sees the potential contract he could land, it’s going to be extremely difficult for him to be able to walk away from the opportunity, even when considering his fondness for New York and the Mets organization.

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Do you think Cespedes will opt for free agency or stick with the Mets? Share your thoughts below.

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