After the long wait, outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has found a home. Announced on Friday, the hard-throwing outfielder will return to the New York Mets on a three-year, $75 million deal. The 30-year-old becomes the last big-named hitter to come off the free agent market, this after Justin Upton joined the Tigers earlier this week.
The deal is pending a physical, and includes $27.5 million in the first year, and an opt out after that season.
He now will earn a $25 million annual average, which ties him with Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Hamilton for the highest of any outfielder. Cespedes was traded from the A's to the Red Sox two seasons ago, signed with the Tigers before last season, but was traded away to the Mets at the trade deadline.
He would go on to hit 17 home runs in 57 games, including nine in a 13-game span for New York, but ran into a bump in the road in the postseason, where he dealt with a shoulder injury that brought his production down. Since the season came to an end, many teams were in the running for the outfielder.
These teams included the likes of the Red Sox and Tigers, and as of late, the Mets' division rival Washington Nationals. The Nats reportedly offered the former Home Run Derby champion a five-year deal, as did the Baltimore Orioles a week ago.
Mets manager Terry Collins spoke highly of the team's ability to bring Cespedes back, pointing to how hard he works in pregame warmups, calling him "legit."
According to sources, Cespedes was looking for a six-year deal in the $22 million range heading into free agency. That began to change with how long it took for the star to find a team.
He will join a packed outfield with the Mets that includes Curtis Granderson, Michael Conforton, Michael Cuddyer, Alejandro De Aza, and Juan Lagares. Cespedes and the Mets were expected to move on from each other, but instead, they are back at it, looking for another World Series run.
The deal is pending a physical, and includes $27.5 million in the first year, and an opt out after that season.
He now will earn a $25 million annual average, which ties him with Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Hamilton for the highest of any outfielder. Cespedes was traded from the A's to the Red Sox two seasons ago, signed with the Tigers before last season, but was traded away to the Mets at the trade deadline.
He would go on to hit 17 home runs in 57 games, including nine in a 13-game span for New York, but ran into a bump in the road in the postseason, where he dealt with a shoulder injury that brought his production down. Since the season came to an end, many teams were in the running for the outfielder.
These teams included the likes of the Red Sox and Tigers, and as of late, the Mets' division rival Washington Nationals. The Nats reportedly offered the former Home Run Derby champion a five-year deal, as did the Baltimore Orioles a week ago.
Mets manager Terry Collins spoke highly of the team's ability to bring Cespedes back, pointing to how hard he works in pregame warmups, calling him "legit."
According to sources, Cespedes was looking for a six-year deal in the $22 million range heading into free agency. That began to change with how long it took for the star to find a team.
He will join a packed outfield with the Mets that includes Curtis Granderson, Michael Conforton, Michael Cuddyer, Alejandro De Aza, and Juan Lagares. Cespedes and the Mets were expected to move on from each other, but instead, they are back at it, looking for another World Series run.
