Mets, Yoenis Cespedes discussing potential three-year deal with opt-out

The New York Mets and Yoenis Cespedes are discussing an opt-out clause after the first year of a three-year deal, according to Buster Olney of ESPN. Late last night, Ken Rosenthal reported that Cespedes was torn between a five-year offer from the rival Washington Nationals and his desire to return to the Mets. Olney adds that some people involved in talks with Cespedes expect that he will make his decision in the next 24-to-48 hours.

It would be awfully hard for the Mets to justify passing on a three-year deal with an opt-out clause after the 2016 season. While Cespedes's defense in center field might not resemble Carlos Beltran in his defensive heyday, the combination of his bat and his ability to play passable defense in center makes him an obvious upgrade upon a platoon of Juan Lagares and Alejandro De Aza. Both of those outfielders could still play useful roles on the team, of course, but the Mets would get Cespedes without taking on much, if any, risk.