Michael Cuddyer has retired from baseball, an industry source confirmed to Newsday on Friday night, a surprising move that will likely free up more money for the Mets to spend this winter.
Cuddyer was due $12.5 million next season. It’s unclear exactly how much the Mets will get back from that amount. But it’s expected to be a large enough savings to perhaps change the Mets’ approach to free agency this winter.
Just two years removed from an All-Star Game nod and leading the NL in hitting with a .331 average, the 36-year-old Cuddyer endured one of the worst seasons of his career.