New York Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes will be one of the most prized hitters on the hot stove market for a second consecutive season, opting out of his contract on Saturday and becoming a free agent, per The New York Times’ James Wagner.
Yoenis Cespedes opts out of Mets contract, now a free agent
Slugger was due $47.5 million over the next 2 seasons.
Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Cespedes caught fire after he was acquired by the Mets midseason in 2015, powering their run to the World Series. He parlayed that into a three-year, $75 million free agent contract to return to New York, including a $10 million signing bonus and a $17.5 million salary in 2016.
By opting out, Cespedes is walking away from a contract that would have paid him $23.75 million in both 2017 and 2018. Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball was the first to report that Cespedes would opt out of his contract, on Oct. 26.
Cespedes hit .280/.354/.530 with 31 home runs, 25 doubles, and 86 RBI in 132 games for the Mets in 2016, and set a career high with 51 walks.
Over his five years in MLB since defecting from Cuba, Cespedes has hit .272/.325/.494, averaging 27 home runs, 30 doubles, and 91 RBI per season. The right-hander turned 31 on Oct. 18.
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