Yoenis Cespedes enjoyed his time with the Mets and wants to remain in New York, but how good of a deal is he willing to leave on the table to make it happen?
Cespedes has drawn interest from several teams this offseason, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the 30-year-old outfielder “prefers to stay with the Mets.” The problem is that the Mets are reportedly unwilling to offer anything beyond three years, and they have not yet made a formal offer to Cespedes.
According to Rosenthal, the Mets are waiting to hear from Van Wagenen, Cespedes’ agent, about whether the slugger would even consider a contract of three years or less.
One team has reportedly already offered Cespedes a five-year deal. The Nationals also recently entered the fold, but Rosenthal wonders if Cespedes would want to play for a team that is filled with strong personalities and has now hired an old-school manager in Dusty Baker.
Cespedes, who was moved to New York at the trade deadline last season, has been traded three times in the past year. It’s possible that he simply doesn’t want to relocate again, which would be understandable. However, this could be his last chance to cash in on a five-year deal. If Cespedes signs with the Mets for three years, he will be 33 when that contract expires.
