Mets outfielder opts out for rest of 2020 season |
New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was missing from the ballpark for today's game against the Atlanta Braves.
The Mets released the following statement about him earlier in the day. “As of game time, Yoenis Céspedes has not reported to the ballpark today,” the full statement read. “He did not reach out to management with any explanation for his absence. Our attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.” Eventually word came via his agent and the ballclub that he has decided to opt out for the rest of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 reasons. The 34-year-old was batting .161 with two homers and 15 strikeouts in 32 plate appearances this season. Sources say Yoenis Cespedes and Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen just finished a long phone call. Cespedes told Van Wagenen, "I would rather get COVID than play for the Mets again." "There could've been a classier way to handle this, the way it was done seems to have been a little bit classless to me " Yoenis Cespedes was "disgruntled,'' according to one #Mets player.
Looks like the Cespedes era in New York has officially come to an end.
- @Todd_Zeile on how Yoenis Cespedes informed the Mets of his decision to opt out of the 2020 MLB season pic.twitter.com/1pcoZnImAV