I’ve yet to come across one contrarian Met fan or blogger who didn’t absolutely love the three year, $75 million dollar deal that will bring Yoenis Cespedes back to Flushing in 2016.
As was reported initially by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Cespedes will have the ability to opt out of the contract after the first year while receiving a $27.5 million salary for the season.
It was this very ability to opt out that convinced Cespedes to spurn the five-year, $100 million dollar from the Washington Nationals and play at least one more year for the Amazins before hitting the free agent market again next Winter as the top outfielder in an otherwise sparse and lacking market.
Rosenthal also provided some clarity this afternoon, on the question of whether or not Cespedes would be eligible for a qualifying offer from the Mets in the event he exercises his opt-out clause. The question arose because Cespedes doesn’t have the typical MLB service time after just four years in the majors – five counting next season.
And the good news is that the Mets will indeed get a compensation draft pick if they make him a Qualifying Offer and Cespedes signs with a new team next Winter.
In other words, this deal keeps looking better and better for our New York Mets. Couple the QO to Cespedes with a potential QO to Neil Walker and the Mets are looking at three top picks in the 2017 MLB Draft.
