Report: Michael Cuddyer to Retire

A shocker out of Flushing early Saturday morning — Michael Cuddyer will reportedly retire, despite having one year left on his contract.

ESPN New York reports he will end his playing days. It is not clear why, although he did undergo surgery to repair a core muscle injury after the World Series. There is also no word on whether the Mets will be buying out the $12.5 million on his 2016 contract or he is just walking away from the millions. It is likely the Mets will pay him something.

While this is apparently bad news for Cuddyer, who seemed like a good guy, this is not the worst thing for the Mets. Not to be insensitive, but Michael Cuddyer was a disappointment in 2015, and he would have been just a benchwarmer next season. The Mets will likely save several million dollars that can be used for a more productive player.

Can they save enough to sign Yoenis Cespedes? Probably not, but we can dream…