Yoenis Céspedes

Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes opts out of contract

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Mets are reportedly not optimistic about being able to retain Cespedes

Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has opted out of the final two years of his contract that would have paid him $47.5 million, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN.

The news was expected, and today was the final day Cespedes had (with it being the third day after the end of the World Series) to exercise the opt-out.

Cespedes, 31, hit .280/.354/.530 with 31 HR and 86 RBI in 123 games this past season.

He’s hit .282/.348/.554 with 48 HR and 130 RBI in 189 games since being acquired by the Mets last July 31.

There were no reports that the Mets ever seriously engaged Cespedes in extension talks before he opted out, but they have to do everything in their power to retain him.

As I’ve written before, there are no players on the free agent market and no players in house who can replicate what Cespedes provides both offensively and defensively.

Beyond that, Cespedes has become something of a folk hero for Mets fans because of the way he’s embraced the team, the fans, and the city.

Cespedes and his agents have been saying since he signed last offseason that they viewed their relationship with the Mets as a long-term one, but the onus was on the Mets to extend his contract before it reached this point.

Perhaps the Mets made a serious effort to extend Cespedes and his team balked, but there are no reports out there indicating that’s the case.

At this point, what’s done is done. Cespedes is a free agent free to negotiate with 29 other teams, most of whom can’t afford him.

Mets GM Sandy Alderson is known as someone who is averse to handing out long-term deals — especially to players on the wrong side of 30. But he needs to make an exception for Cespedes.

If a team goes nuts and offers Cespedes a deal worth six or seven years, the Mets will have a built-in excuse.

But if this thing stays where most think it will, not going beyond five years, the Mets need to come out on top.

Cespedes was remarkable in 2015, helping push the Mets to a division title and World Series appearance. And in 2016, he was again the player who made the lineup go.

With Cespedes, the Mets would enter the 2017 season as one of the favorites to win the World Series. Without him, their offense could again resemble the punch-less one that took the field for parts of 2015 and 2016 (when Cespedes was hurt).

Retaining Cespedes now is as important as retaining Mike Piazza after the 1998 season was. Get it done.