Watch CBS News

After Signing 4-Year Deal, Cespedes Says He Wants To Retire A Met

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP)Yoenis Cespedes and the Mets have finalized a $110 million, four-year contract.

The team formally announced the signing with a news conference at Citi Field.

"I promise them (the fans) my goal will be to bring back another World Series championship to this team," Cespedes told reporters through an interpreter.

A two-time All-Star, Cespedes gets $22.5 million in 2017, $29 million in each of the following two seasons and $29.5 million in 2020.

The 31-year-old outfielder receives a full no-trade provision as part of the agreement, the largest for a free agent thus far this offseason. The deal's $27.5 million average annual value ties former Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for the second-highest among position players, trailing only Miguel Cabrera's $29.2 million with Detroit.

In addition, the Mets traded pitcher Logan Verrett to the Baltimore Orioles for cash.

Acquired by the Mets from the Tigers at the July 31 trade deadline in 2015, Cespedes had 17 home runs and 44 RBIs in 57 games with the Mets down the stretch, helping them reach the World Series for the first time since 2000.

After finding a slow market in a free-agent class that also included Jason Heyward, Alex Gordon and Justin Upton, Cespedes made a surprise return to the Mets when New York agreed in January to a $75 million, three-year contract that allowed him to opt out after one season and $27.5 million.

MORE: 10 Highest Paid New York/New Jersey Athletes

"This is the third time that we have acquired Yoenis in the last 17 months," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said, "and it appears that two legal separations have only strengthened the marriage."

In comparing this year's negotiation to last year's, Alderson said: "After a year and a half as opposed to a couple of months, I think it was easier for us to express our interest publicly in keeping Yoenis, and I think it was easier for him to express his loyalty to the Mets."

Despite opting out, Cespedes said returning to the Mets was always his preference.

"I said it long before this happened that I wanted to be with this team, I wanted to come back to this team, and, God willing, I will finish out my career with this team," he said.

Cespedes had 31 homers and 86 RBIs in 132 games this year, slowed after injuring his right quadriceps on July 8. He hit one home run after Sept. 11.

Other outfielders on the free-agent market include major league home run leader Mark Trumbo, Jose Bautista, Carlos Beltran, Dexter Fowler, Josh Reddick and Matt Holliday.

Alderson said he wanted a resolution to Cespedes' negotiations with the team by the end of next week's winter meetings.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.