New York Mets couldn’t acquire their first outfield option at the trade deadline when a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers for Carlos Gomez fell through. They were talking about acquiring Jay Bruce from the Cincinnati Reds but nothing actually came to fruition.
Now it appears that the Mets will be acquiring a man who knows how to hit at Citi Field pretty well. They will bring in slugger Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers.
Following from Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.
Source says Cespedes has been dealt to the Mets .
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) July 31, 2015
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports also confirms the report.
cespedes goes to mets for two minor leaguers
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 31, 2015
Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press and Jon Heyman are both reporting that the Mets will not be giving up one of their top pitching prospects in Zach Wheeler. They hurler will continue to heal from his Tommy John Surgery.
Zack Wheeler is not in the Yoenis Cespedes deal, a source says.
— anthony fenech (@anthonyfenech) July 31, 2015
mets kept wheeler
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 31, 2015
Instead, the Mets will be sending minor league right-handed pitchers Luis Cessa and Michael Fulmer to the Tigers.
Following from Jennifer Hammond of Fox 2 Detroit.
Fuller and Cessa are the players on receiving end for #Tigers in Cespedes deal.
— Jennifer Hammond (@HammerFox2) July 31, 2015
Yes Michael Fulmer
— Jennifer Hammond (@HammerFox2) July 31, 2015
Cespedes is owed $4.5 Million on his remaining contract this season and he will be a free agent at seasons end. His future with the Amazin’ Mets is up in the air considering that he cannot be extended a qualifying offer. As of right now though, the hard-hitting left fielder will be joining the Mets effort for a playoff push.
The Mets are currently 3 games behind the Washington Nationals for the top spot in the National League East and 4.5 games out of the final wild card spot so a big move was needed. They bring in Cespedes alongside their other three previous acquisitions in Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson from the Atlanta Braves and Tyler Clippard from the Oakland Athletics.
The 29-year-old Cuban slugger has hit .293/.323/.506 with 18 home runs, 61 RBI, 62 runs scored and an .829 OPS with an American League-leading 28 doubles in 102 games with the Tigers this season.
If you are concerned about Yoenis Cespedes hitting at Citi Field, check out his performance in the 2013 Home Run Derby when he was a member of the Oakland Athletics. I’m sure Cespedes hitting in Queens won’t be a problem but Laguardia airport might have to avoid flying over Citi when Yoenis is at the dish getting ready to hit.
