Yoenis Cespedes Signs Four-Year, $110M Contract Extension With Mets

The New York Mets signed Yoenis Cespedes to a massive four year, $110 million contract extension on Tuesday.

Yoenis Cespedes Signs Four-Year, $110M Contract Extension With Mets

This marks the largest free-agent contract they have offered any player during Sandy Alderson’s tenure as general manager. It is also the second straight offseason the team has agreed to a deal with the veteran Cuban outfielder.

Cespedes, who turned 31 last month, is an All-Star who helped the Mets become a World Series contender in 2015 and helped them reach the wild-card game in 2016. He is the same age Albert Pujols and Robinson Cano both were when they scored 10-year contracts earlier this decade.

Cespedes’ $27.5 million average annual salary matches the second-highest ever for a major league position player, after Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera ($31 million). It’s also a record for the Mets.

In terms of total value, this is not the richest deal in team history. The last two that were more expensive: the eight-year, $138 million extension for David Wright, and the six-year, $137.5 million deal the Mets gave Johan Santana after trading for him in 2007.

Cespedes helped salvage the Mets’ season in 2016, when the team became afflicted by a string of injuries. When he returned from a quadriceps injury on Aug. 19, the Mets were under .500. He hit .364 through the end of the month, pointing the team to a winning course.

The outfielder returned to the Mets last winter on a three-year, $75 million contract that included an opt-out clause after the 2016 season. After he posted another strong season — a .280 average with 31 home runs and 86 R.B.I. — he exercised the opt-out provision.

Following their playoff loss to the San Francisco Giants, the Mets faced an off-season in which Cespedes and second baseman Neil Walker could leave as free agents. The pair combined for 54 homers last season, and had the highest on-base percentages of any Mets regulars: .354 for Cespedes, .347 for Walker.

The Mets quickly retained Walker, who accepted a one-year, $17.2 million qualifying offer to regain value after undergoing back surgery, and now Cespedes has returned.

The Mets seem likely to trade one of their outfielders soon, as has been reported throughout the offseason. The options reported are Jay Bruce, Curtis Granderson– who is 35–and Michael Conforto.

There is still much left for the New York team to improve on. The bullpen needs help, especially with closer Jeurys Familia’s status uncertain due to a possible domestic-violence suspension. The Mets also need more from catcher and first base next season.

Jacob deGrom cannot be a free agent until after the 2020 season, a year before Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Matt Harvey is up after 2018.