7. New York Mets
Yoenis Cespedes, 4 years, $110 million, 2017-20. Roc Nation
In 2015, the Mets traded for Cespedes and went to the World Series. In 2016 he batted .280, made the All Star team and was a fixture in the middle of the team’s batting order. So the Mets committed long-term.
What they’ve gotten in return has been next to nothing. Cespedes’ defensive skills were always a question, and health issues quickly complicated them. Hobbled by heel injuries that eventually required surgery, Cespedes has come to the plate just 478 times in exchange for the $51.5 million he’s been paid since the start of 2017. He underwent that surgery last July, the hope being that he will return some time in 2019. But it is by no means certain that he will come back to the production level that prompted his signing in the first place.
In his absence, the Mets have taken steps to cover themselves against the prospect that the Cespedes deal may bust completely. They now project Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo as their starting left and center fielders. Jay Bruce and Juan Lagares are expected to suck up most of the remaining time in New York’s outfield.
That raises the prospect that, in Cespedes, the Mets may have signed a $110 million hood ornament.