After now not displaying up to ballpark, Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes opts out of season, Brodie Van Wagenen says
Yoenis Cespedes’ turbulent tenure with the
Mets all however, ended Sunday when he left the group except warning — and
hours later communicated that he was once opting out of the relaxation of the
2020 season.
A weird three hours started after the
pinnacle of the first inning, when the Mets launched a declaration pronouncing
Cespedes did now not exhibit up to the ballpark and they have been unable to
contact him. It ended after a 4-0 loss to the Braves, when regular supervisor
Brodie Van Wagenen published that Cespedes’ representatives instructed the Mets
he was once achieved’ for the yr due to issues involving the coronavirus
pandemic.
Cespedes additionally was once going
through the opportunity of diminished taking part in time as he struggled at
the plate, taking part in many instances for the first time in greater than
two years. His contract covered many bonuses connected ordinarily to at-bat
totals.
Van Wagenen stated he had no thought
Cespedes used to be about to abandon the team. He located out about the
reputable choose out towards the stop of the game.
“We assist everybody’s and each player’s
proper to make this kind of decision,” Van Wagenen said. “It used to be
surprising, barring question.”
Roc Nation, Cespedes’ agency, did no
longer reply to requests for comment.
Technically, Cespedes will be positioned
on the limited listing and continue to be underneath contract thru the stop of
the season. He will no longer earn the relaxation of his salary.
This efficaciously marks the give up of
the four-year, $110 million deal — a contract negotiated on his behalf with the
aid of Van Wagenen, his agent at the time — Cespedes signed after the 2016
season. He performed 127 video games in these 4 seasons. In between, there had
been pseudo-controversies over his conditioning and golf habit, a sequence of
stints on the injured list, a surgical operation on every heel, a come across
with a wild boar on his Florida ranch, an ensuing damaged ankle that required
any other surgical procedure and a renegotiated contract.
Cespedes initially used to be due to earn
$29.5 million this year. That was once decreased’ to $6 million — plus many
viable bonuses — due to the boar incident. After the season is pandemic lengthen
led to all income being prorated’ he had a base pay of $2.22 million. Now, he
receives about $611,000 for 9 games.
“It’s disappointing,” Van Wagenen stated
of the complete saga. “Yo’s a gorgeous participant that all of us loved looking
at play when he used to be at his best. There used to be optimism for his
return. I be aware of how tough he labored in his rehab to get lower back to
this point, and I recognize this is a disappointing stop to at least his
four-year settlement with the Mets.”
Van Wagenen stated he used to be now not
irritated with how Cespedes treated opting out. However, he was once careworn
and involved for phase of Sunday.
When the enigmatic outfielder did no
longer exhibit up to Truist Park in Atlanta Sunday morning, the Mets launched an
assertion indicating they did now not be aware of the place he was. At the
time, in accordance to Van Wagenen, they have been undecided of his well-being.
“As of sport time, Yoenis Cespedes has now
not pronounced to the ballpark today,” the statement, attributed to Van
Wagenen, read. “He did no longer attain out to administration with any
rationalization for his absence. Our tries to contact him have been
unsuccessful.”
The Mets despatched safety to his room at
the group hotel. Neither he nor his assets had been there, Van Wagenen said.
About an hour after the unique statement,
a Mets supply said, “At this time, we have no motive to consider Yoenis’
security is at risk.”
Van Wagenen stated the preliminary
announcement about Cespedes being AWOL — curiously launched besides
understanding if he used to be in threat — used to be made’ in a wish to be
“transparent” and “provide data in actual time.”
“There was once no hidden agenda,” Van
Wagenen said. “There was once no strive to misinform by way of any stretch of
the imagination. Just imparting data as we had it.”
Cespedes ended his two-year absence from
the majors on Opening Day, when he homered to account for the solely run in the
Mets’ win. However, in beginning eight of the first 9 games, he hit solely .161
with a .235 OBP and .387 slugging percentage. He struck out 15 instances in 31
at-bats.
With J.D. Davis, Dominic Smith and others
competing for enjoying time, Cespedes’ day-to-day spot in the lineup was not
guaranteed.
“I had conversations with him over the
ultimate couple of days to reassure him that our job used to be to attempt to
put the exceptional crew on the discipline each and every day,” Van Wagenen
said. “Luis had the energy and the authority to attempt to do that with the
lineup and … he was once absolutely given each possibility to attempt and
assist us perform.”
Manager Luis Rojas stated earlier than the
game “He’s no longer beginning in the nine; however we choose to get him in
there and get the at-bats that he desires in order to get hot.”
Rojas stated his final conversations with
Cespedes got here Saturday. They talked about how he felt at the plate, his
upcoming work in the outfield and that day’s opposing pitcher — however did no
longer speak about or even trace at lessened taking part in time, in accordance
to Rojas.
A day later, Cespedes used to be done’
interestingly scared via the pandemic.
Rojas stated Cespedes’ movements did no
longer upset him.
“This is section of what’s going on proper
now in the world,” Rojas said. “This is section of what’s going on proper now
in this league.”
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