New York Mets: Will another team take a chance on Yoenis Cespedes?

Yoenis Cespedes’ run with the New York Mets ended on a disastrous note. Will another major league team give him a chance to resurrect his career?

Yoenis Cespedes was supposed to be a part of the answer for the New York Mets. He had performed admirably after being acquired for the stretch run in 2015, helping lead the franchise to the National League pennant. After a one year deal to return, Cespedes signed a four year contract worth $110 million. The Mets had seemingly locked a key power bat into their lineup.

Instead, that deal became an albatross. Cespedes appeared in a grand total of 127 games over those four years as injuries took a toll. He was, for the most part, a solid player during those times he took the field, posting a .274/.336/.516 batting line with 28 homers and 24 doubles. The problem was getting Cespedes on the field.

Then came the 2020 season. He was healthy and ready to go due to the delayed Opening Day, but disappeared from the team after a handful of games. Cespedes finally emerged to say that he was opting out of the season, but his abrupt departure without notifying anyone left a bad final impression.

Cespedes did not exactly perform well prior to his ignoble departure from New York. While he had been working to shake off two years of rust, he posted a .161/.235/.387 batting line over his 34 plate appearances, hitting two homers and a double while striking out 15 times.

Now, he is going to have what could be considered another full season of rust to shake off. With that lack of playing time, coupled with the way he handled his departure from the Mets, one has to wonder if another major league job will be in the offering.

It is possible that a team could take a chance on the former All Star. He is not likely to command much of a salary at this point given how his past few years have gone. However, for a team looking for a low cost power option in the outfield, Cespedes would certainly be worth the gamble.

The New York Mets will not look back on the last four years of Yoenis Cespedes fondly. That disastrous run could make him a bargain this offseason.