When asked about negotiating a new contract with Yoenis Cespedes, Sandy Alderson told Mike Puma of the NY Post that he’s living in the moment and hasn’t thought about it.
Signing Cespedes before the season is over will be crucial.The Mets are prohibited from signing him once he hits free agency after this season due to a clause in his contract.
The trade that brought Cespedes to Queens has worked out tremendously so far as he’s been excellent at the plate. He’s batting .311 with seven home runs and a .940 OPS in 23 games with New York, and his presence in the lineup has undoubtedly energized the team.
The Mets are 17-6 since Cespedes arrived, and they have gained a 6.5 game lead over the Washington Nationals.
Cespedes told reporters earlier this month that he would love to remain a Met long term.
“This is something I can’t control,” Cespedes said through an interpreter Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t know what the front office is thinking about. But with what I see so far, I would love for everything to work out and stay as a Met for a long, long time, because I like the atmosphere.”
“Other teams that I’ve been around, they scored four and they give up four. This team, if we score four with the pitching that we have, we’ll be able to compete and go to the finals. The energy that everybody feels from the pitching staff and the hitters is a plus.” (ESPN New York)
The 29 year old outfielder has hit 20 or more home runs in every year during his career, and he provides more than just power. He has also impressed with his defense in the outfield and speed on the bases. Hopefully Alderson aggressively tries sign him to a long term deal before it’s too late.
