The Mets’ first housekeeping items of the offseason were addressed Thursday when the club picked up contract options on Jay Bruce anඣd Jose Reyes while severing ties with Jon Niese.
Bruce’s option is worth $13 million, and the veteran outfielder provides the club with protection should Yoenis Cespedes depart through free agency after he opts out of his contract by Saturday.
The 29-year-old Bruce had a .219/.294/.391 slash line with eight homers and 19 RBIs in 50 games after arriving from the Reds at the trade deadline. If Bruce stays – the Mets could look to deal him – he would likely be the starting right fielder next year, but the club could a🥂lso consider first base as a possibility for him.
Reyes will return for the major league minimum because he was released by the Rockies while still under the six-year contract worth $106 million he received from the Marlins before th💎e 2012 season.
The Mets could use Reyes full-time at third base if needed or shift him to a utility role should David Wright reclaim his old position after missing most o✨f 2016 following surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck.
Niese will receive a $500,000 buyout. The veteran lefty, who returned to the Mets from Pittsburgh aಌt the trade deadline, had a club option for 2017 worth $10 million. But Niese was ineffective for the Mets before undergoin♎g knee surgery in late August that ended his season.
Jerry Blevins, Bartolo Colon, Alejandro De Aza, Kelly Johnson, James Loney, Fernando Salas a✨nd Neil Walker are free agents b🧜eginning Tuesday.