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The New York Mets will not quit in their pursuit for an outfield bat and now appear to be talking to the Tigers about Yoenis Cespedes, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. After the Carlos Gomez deal fell through, the team shifted focus to Jay Bruce. The Reds appear hesitant to make Zack Wheeler the centerpiece of the deal and the Mets have concerns about Bruce's salary and performance.
Cespedes is a right-handed bat and a free agent at the end of the year. The Mets were hoping to acquire a more under-control bat, especially if it meant moving Wheeler. And they aren't the only team in on Cespedes, with the rival Nationals also intrigued by the idea:
#Mets talking to #Tigers about Cespedes, sources tell me and @jonmorosi. One of their many options.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2015
#Nats could be a possibility for cespedes. mike rizzo loves him. mets also make sense. price tag understandably high.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 31, 2015
In 102 games this season, Cespedes is hitting .293 with a .323 on-base percentage to go with 18 homers and 61 RBIs.