The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cespedes wants to remain with Mets
Slugger says he has no plans to exercise an opt-out clause.
Yoenis Cespedes said he has no plans to exercise an opt-out clause in his contract with the New York Mets.
The outfielder from Cuba is in the first year of a threeyear, $75 million deal that has an escape clause after the first season.
He said before Wednesday’s game at St. Louis he intended to honor the deal.
“I’ve said it before, my intentions of course are to be here for three years, and if I could spend the rest of my career with the Mets, I would,” Cespedes said.
Entering Wednesday’s game, Cespedes was batting .295 with 25 homers and 64 RBIs, second on the team in both categories.
■ Mets left-hander Jonathan Niese was put on the 15-day disabled list to undergo knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Right-hander Erik Goeddel was recalled from Triple-A.
Orioles: Pitcher Chris Tillman (15-5, 3.76 ERA) was put on the 15-day DL with bursitis in his right shoulder. Right-hander Mike Wright was recalled from Triple-A.
Rockies: Second baseman D J LeMahieu, second in the NL in batting at .344, missed his second consecutive game with inflammation in his left wrist. “He’s still available to do some of the other things, but I’m not going to use him to hit,” manager Walt Weiss said. “When you hurt your wrist, your fingers or anything to your hand as a hitter, it is going to take a while.”
Giants: Outfielder Gregor Blanco went on the disabled list with a right shoulder injury.
Diamondbacks: Team president and CEO Derrick Hall agreed to an eight-year contract extension.
Yankees: Joe Girardi on Wednesday became the sixth manager in Yankees history to reach 800 wins, joining Joe McCarthy, Joe Torre, Casey Stengel, Miller Huggins and Ralph Houk.
Cubs: Kyle Hendricks has not allowed more than three earned runs in 17 straight starts. Over that span, Hendricks has a 1.70 ERA.
■ The Cubs (81-45) are 36 games over .500 for the first time since ending the 1945 season at 98-56.
Dodgers: Outfielder Rob Segedin, who homered in the second inning Tuesday night, left on paternity leave after the eighth inning to be there for the birth of his son. Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Segedin will only be away from the team for one game.
Nationals: Swimmer Katie Ledecky, who won four gold medals and one silver at the Rio Olympics, threw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday night at Nationals Park. The Bethesda, Md., native tossed the ball to Washington reliever Shawn Kelley as reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper held her medals.
White Sox: The ballpark currently called U.S. Cellular Field will become known as Guaranteed Rate Field starting in November. The team and the mortgage company announced a 13-year naming rights deal Wednesday.
Noteworthy: Major League Baseball agreed to hold games in Puerto Rico and will work with the players’ association to invest $5 million in developing baseball on the island. MLB didn’t announce any specific details on those future games.