Michael Cuddyer, 36, retiring
— -- NEW YORK -- Michael Cuddyer is retiring after 15 seasons in the majors, despite having another season remaining on his contract with the New York Mets, sources told ESPN.com.
Cuddyer, 36, hit .259 with 10 homers and 41 RBIs in 379 at-bats for the Mets in 2015. His playing time was due to further diminish next season with Curtis Granderson and Michael Conforto locked into the corner outfield spots and Lucas Duda at first base.
Cuddyer, a two-time All Star, was scheduled to earn $12.5 million next season, to complete a two-year, $21 million deal. A team official would not comment on whether the Mets had bought out the remaining year, but that is expected to be the case.
Cuddyer signed with the Mets in November 2014, while turning down a qualifying offer from the Colorado Rockies. He justified the decision by saying he wanted to play with childhood friend David Wright. He also expressed a desire to play for a winner late in his career. Cuddyer did achieve the latter objective. He reached the World Series with the Mets, although he personally went 1-for-11 in the postseason and 0-for-3 in Game 1, the only game he played. Wright, however, missed four months of the regular season dealing with back woes, so the native Virginians' time together during the regular season was severely reduced.
Cuddyer underwent surgery in Philadelphia after the World Series to repair a core muscle injury.
A first-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 1997, Cuddyer played the first 11 seasons of his major league career with that organization. He went on to play for the Rockies for three seasons before joining the Mets.
Cuddyer was credited by fellow Norfolk, Virginia, natives with putting that area on the map for scouts. Ryan Zimmerman, Justin and Melvin Upton and Wright subsequently were highly drafted out of that area.
Cuddyer hit .277 with 197 homers and 794 RBIs in 1,536 career regular-season games.
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