Will Yoenis Cespedes be a New York Met in 2016? That’s a question that will be answered this offseason, but New York seems determined to keep him.
On Tuesday, the New York Post reported that the Mets and Cespedes had agreed to remove a clause from his contracted that would have prevented the team from re-signing him until May 15th once a period of five days after the World Series had ended.
The Mets, at the very least, will have a longer period to sign Yoenis Cespedes this offseason.
Seeing the potential mutual benefit, the Mets and Cespedes’ representatives changed the clause in his contract that would have given the Mets only five days after the World Series ended to sign him long term or not be able to do so again until May 15, The Post has learned.
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Cespedes is in the final season of his original four-year, $36 million pact he signed with the A’s before the 2012 campaign. Language in that deal calls for Cespedes to be released at the end of the contract. A qualifying offer cannot be tendered to a released player. Thus, as stated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the team would have until five days after the World Series to sign Cespedes or not again until May 15. Even after this contract edit, the Mets cannot extend Cespedes a qualifying offer.
Will the Mets be able to re-sign Cespedes? That’s the $150 million question. Through 34 games since his trade from the Tigers, Cespedes has hit like a man possessed, slashing .311/.358/.669 with 13 homers as the Mets have planted their blue and orange flag at the top of the NL East. He’s going to likely command a nine-figure payday, even though Cespedes will turn 30 in October and his right-handed power will have many teams salivating.
But New York doesn’t possess much in the way of long-term commitments. The club only has $60 million devoted to their 2016 payroll, and just $40 million dedicated to the 2017 roster. The Mets *could* fit Cespedes in without boosting their payroll to a top five level, but will they? It’s anyone’s best guess at this point.
