New York Mets to sign Yoenis Cespedes to three-year deal
New York may be bracing for a weekend blizzard, but the Mets are keeping the hot stove burning, agreeing to a three-year, $75 million contract with outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. The deal contains an opt-out clause after the first season. Jon Heyman first reported that an agreement had been reached.
The signing is an unexpected coup for the New York Mets, who seemed unlikely to retain Cespedes at the beginning of the offseason. At that point he appeared destined for a long-term, big money contract, but as the winter progressed and he remained on the market, circumstances changed.
Teams like the Mets and White Sox had expressed interest in the Cuban slugger, but for a commitment of no more than three years. With Spring Training now less than a month away, Cespedes and his camp apparently became more receptive to such an arrangement and the market around him began to intensify.
The Nationals reportedly made a five-year offer earlier this week, and today numerous stories surfaced claiming that Cespedes was mulling that deal, the three-year offer from the Mets, along with other unidentified teams. Cespedes’ preference to stay in New York reportedly drove his desire to get a deal done with the Mets.
The short-term deal with an opt-out has the potential to work quite well for both sides. The Mets get to keep the valuable bat that helped push them toward the NL East title last season without getting locked into a lengthy commitment.
If Cespedes puts together another good year, he can opt out and test free agency again next winter in hopes of another big payday. If not, neither he nor the Mets would likely complain about another two seasons together.
The 30-year-old Cespedes was an offensive force for the Mets in 2015 after joining the club on trade deadline day. His powerful right-handed swing was just what the light-hitting team needed to better support its imposing starting pitching rotation.
Cespedes slashed .287/.337/.604 for New York in 57 games (249 plate appearances), swatting 17 homers and driving in 44 runs over the regular season’s final two months. He struggled a bit down the stretch, however, and his postseason run was somewhat erratic. He belted a pair of home runs in the NLDS, but batted just .150 in the World Series.
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Still, the Mets and their fans will likely be overjoyed to have Cespedes back in the heart of their lineup, and on these terms. It should be interesting to see how his 2016 campaign plays out and whether it leads to him exercising that potentially lucrative opt-out.