Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has been the missing piece that the 2015 New York Mets have needed. With the team in the midst of their first NLCS appearance in nearly a decade, it’s clear that Cespedes’ righty power bat at the cleanup spot and machine gun arm in the outfield have been a huge reason why. But the general consensus around the league remains that the Mets will not be able to re-sign Cespedes, who is set to become a free agent this winter, at season’s end.
One anonymous rival executive told Jon Heyman of CBS Sports over the weekend, “I will be shocked if they sign Cespedes.”
Cespedes, who was acquired by the Mets at the trade deadline, will be a hot commodity this offseason who could command a ton of money from other teams on the open market. Heyman speculates that the two-time Home Run Derby champion could easily get a deal for at least 5 years and over $100 million, and maybe even in excess of $150 million.
That goes clearly against the blueprint the Mets have followed for success this season, which has been stockpiling cost-effective, young talent and complementing that core by moving on name-brand players like Cespedes at opportune times.
The 30-year-old Cespedes, who hit 17 home runs and 44 RBIs with a .287 batting average and a .941 OPS in 57 regular season games in New York, was always seen as a rental, win-now piece for the Mets. With the Cuban being represented by the high-profile Roc Nation Sports, it’s hard to see general manager Sandy Alderson making a competitive offer to retain Cespedes without completely crippling his team’s future flexibility.
While an even deeper postseason run, either to a pennant or perhaps to the Commissioner’s Trophy, might sway Cespedes to stick around a little longer, his days in New York ultimately look like they could be numbered. Enjoy those 430-foot bombs and laser throws to home plate while you can, Mets fans.
Image Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
H/T theScore
