Mets' Michael Cuddyer is retiring

Michael Cuddyer is retiring from baseball. The decision surely comes as a surprise to Mets fans, as Cuddyer had one year remaining on the two-year, $21 million contract he signed last offseason. Cuddyer was set to make $12.5 million in 2016, and it's unclear if there are any financial terms—a buyout, for example—for his retirement.

About an hour ago, the Mets' transactions page listed Cuddyer's retirement, but moments later it had vanished. It wasn't clear if the original transaction was a mistake or an intern prank, but it did seem as if nothing would come of it. Some speculated that Cuddyer was indeed retiring but that the transaction page was inadvertently updated before an announcement could be made.

It seemed that Michael Cuddyer momentarily retired, but it must have been a fever dream. pic.twitter.com/Rav1ZU7r9x

— Eric Simon (@AmazinAvenue) December 12, 2015

After three excellent but injury-marred seasons in Colorado, Cuddyer hit just .259/.309/.391 in 408 plate appearances with the Mets last year. He had just nine plate appearances during the Mets' World Series run but contributed very little of consequence.

With most or all of Cuddyer's salary freed up, the Mets should have some extra spending money this offseason to pursue an impact bat in center field—Yoenis Cespedes comes to mind—or upgrades in the bullpen and elsewhere.