Mets Free Agents: Predicting who goes and who comes back for 2021

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 10: Justin Wilson #38 and Wilson Ramos #40 of the New York Mets celebrate after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 at Citi Field on September 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 10: Justin Wilson #38 and Wilson Ramos #40 of the New York Mets celebrate after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 at Citi Field on September 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – JULY 23: Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the New York Mets watches from the dugout before an MLB baseball game against the San Diego Padres on July 23, 2018 at Citi Field in the Queens borough of New York City. Padres won 3-2. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) /

Yoenis Cespedes

Ask 100 Mets fans what they want his future to be with the club and I think a good portion would prefer to thank him for his time and offer to send an Uber his way. It has been frustrating to watch Yoenis Cespedes sit on the sidelines for most of his time with the club after 2016.

Even some miraculous year in 2020 wouldn’t sway too many opinions. Could it convince the front office differently?

Because Cespedes did have his contract restricted due to the infamous bore situation, I don’t think there’s much love left between the two parties. Cespedes probably understands he made a mistake, but I don’t think it’ll lead to him have much desire to return in 2021.

Fortunately for this relationship, I can’t imagine how it would be possible.

Cespedes would be a free agent at 35 with years of injuries built up. His negative locker room reputation wouldn’t help matters much either.

Not even a DH in the National League should lead to a reunion between Cespedes and the Mets. If that were to happen, the team would be far wiser to move Pete Alonso there and hold onto Dominic Smith.

For me, Cespedes is a goner. For many, I think this is good news. Maybe we see him again in interleague play.

Jed Lowrie

Jed Lowrie’s fate with the Mets has been sealed for some time. Beyond a small number of pinch-hitting appearances in late 2019, he has never actually played for the club.

There’s little to debate about Lowrie and his standing with the franchise. Unlike Cespedes, he never had the chance to make some memorable moments. There’s no attachment to this guy other than the fact that he is a former client of the general manager.

While a veteran infielder like Lowrie could be valuable to many teams, the Mets just don’t need him. Amazingly, they never really did.

I won’t waste your time any further on Lowrie. I predict his career is over after 2020. If not officially, he soon finds out when he does get some playing time on a Triple-A ball club in 2021.