NEW YORK -- Michael Cuddyer came to the Mets last winter as a prized free agent, the type of player -- even in his mid-30s -- that the team believed could turn its offense into something fearsome.That vision never materialized, and Cuddyer is now set to retire at age 36 halfway through his two-year, $21 million contract.
"We salute Michael on his career and thank him for his contributions to our success in 2015," Sandy Alderson said in a statement.
"We wish him, Claudia and their kids all the health and happiness."It is unclear how much the Mets will pay, if any, of Cuddyer's $12.5 million salary for 2016 as a buyout, as all $21 million of his deal was guaranteed.Cuddyer did not respond to messages seeking comment, but shared his thoughts in a piece for The Player's Tribune."I've made the decision to retire," Cuddyer wrote. "With one year left on my contract, it is especially difficult to imagine not suiting up in a Mets uniform for one more year. As an athlete, retiring is the toughest decision you have to make and I don't make it lightly."I've always run out every hit like it was my last. As an untested high school kid drafted with a dream, I've never taken a single moment in the Majors for granted. It goes against every grain in my body to consider a future without the game. But after 15 years, the toll on my body has finally caught up to me."This was not what the Mets envisioned last offseason, when they liked Cuddyer enough to give him a two-year contract despite the Rockies' decision to extend him a qualifying offer (meaning the Mets needed to forfeit a first-round Draft pick to sign him). Their justification: Though Cuddyer had averaged just 93 games per year over his previous three seasons, he was productive when healthy, batting .307 with 46 home runs over that stretch.Cuddyer's injuries continued in New York -- where he missed time due to knee discomfort in July and ultimately underwent surgery to repair a core muscle injury in October -- but his production did not. In his age-36 season, Cuddyer hit just .259 with 10 home runs and a .699 OPS, losing significant playing time to rookie Michael Conforto down the stretch, and going 1-for-11 with seven strikeouts in the postseason. During the World Series, the Mets mostly confined the veteran to the bench.It was a sputtering end to a solid career. A two-time All-Star, Cuddyer hit 197 homers over 14 seasons with the Twins, Rockies and Mets. He won a Silver Slugger Award as recently as 2013, when he hit .331 with 20 homers as a 34-year-old. Known throughout baseball for his character, Cuddyer also grew into a clubhouse leader, even in his brief time with the Mets. He was a childhood acquaintance of Mets captain David Wright, who lobbied hard for Cuddyer to join the team as a free agent.What happened next did not match Wright's vision, though Cuddyer's retirement now provides the Mets with an unexpected measure of flexibility. His lost salary reduces the Mets' 2015 payroll from around $104 million to approximately $92 million, less the value of any buyout. As recently as Thursday, assistant general manager John Ricco said the Mets had enough resources available to acquire a center fielder, a fifth starter and a veteran reliever; Cuddyer's absence should only help New York in those pursuits.It does leave the Mets without a backup first baseman beyond in-house candidate Eric Campbell, though the club has recently discussed giving catchers Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki reps at that position. Cuddyer's absence also leaves the Mets without a fourth outfielder, though Juan Lagares could assume that role if the team signs a free agent such as Gerardo Parra or Denard Span.Anthony DiComo/ MLB.com
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