Yoenis Cespedes wants to stay with Mets, but might still opt out

ST. LOUIS -- Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes said he hopes to remain with the New York Mets for the remainder of his career, but he is not ready to proclaim that he will fulfill the final two years of his current contract with the club.

Cespedes signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the Mets last offseason. He has the right to opt out after the World Series. He is collecting $27.5 million this season.

"I've said it before: My intentions, of course, are to be here for three years," Cespedes said through an interpreter Wednesday. "And if I could spend the rest of my career with the Mets, I would."

As for whether he already has made the decision not to opt out of his current deal, Cespedes added: "No. My focus is just to play baseball and help the team win, hopefully make it to the playoffs. I let my agents worry about all of that."

Cespedes was acquired from the Detroit Tigers at the non-waiver trade deadline in 2015 for right-handers Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa. He helped the Mets become the first team in MLB history to rank last in runs scored on July 31 and reach the World Series.

This year, Cespedes is hitting .295 with 25 homers and 64 RBIs through 349 at-bats.

By all accounts, he is exceedingly happy playing in New York. Still, it is widely expected that Cespedes will test free agency this offseason. After all, if he does not opt out, he essentially would be accepting a two-year, $47.5 million contract to remain through 2018.

Cespedes maintained that the topic has not come up with his agent.

"I haven't spoken about it at all," he said. "If anything were to happen, I guess that will be something to deal with in the offseason. My mind right now is just on playing. There's nothing that's making me get away from my contract, but I just haven't thought about it."