MLB free agency rumors: Mets interested in Jose Reyes

Jose Reyes was once the face of the New York Mets organization. Since leaving New York, Reyes has bounced around quite a bit, but he may be close to making his return.

It has been nearly four years since Jose Reyes donned the blue and orange of the New York Mets, but due to some off the field trouble this past fall, he may be making his return to the scene of his greatest moments in the big leagues.

In nine seasons with the Mets, Reyes collected 1300 hits, while winning the National League batting title in 2011.

After bolting the Mets for the Florida Marlins in 2013, Reyes has bounced around a bit, playing for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Colorado Rockies. He finished the 2015 season with a .274 batting average between the Blue Jays and the Rockies, and appeared slated to open the 2016 campaign as the starting shortstop and leadoff hitter for the Rockies.

In October of last year, Reyes was charged and arrested for domestic violence. Prosecutors would wind up dropping the case, as his wife Katherine refused to help with the investigation.

However, Major League Baseball would suspend Reyes for 183 days, which included 52 games, and in process he lost $6,251,366 in salary.

Reyes would eventually be placed in the minor leagues after his suspension ended on May 31, but the Rockies designated him for assignment immediately after he was reinstated from the Restricted List.

On Thursday, the Rockies placed him on waivers for the purpose of giving him his outright release. The move will make sure that Reyes can’t be traded by the Rockies and will become a free agent at 1 p.m. Saturday if he isn’t claimed by another team. If a team claimed him, they would be on the hook the $38 million dollars remaining on his contract, so it is almost guaranteed that he will clear waivers.

According to a Mets source, the team is very interested in bringing him back to New York, due to the fact he can play third base, shortstop, or second base. Reyes has expressed his remorse about leaving the Mets in the first place, and would love to come back to the team that he started his career with.

There is really no downside to signing Reyes from a baseball standpoint, as the Mets would only have to pay him the league minimum for the remainder of his two-year contract. Some fans are clamoring for the Mets to not sign him due to his off-field issue, but Major League Baseball is a business, and if Reyes can help the Mets get back to the World Series, they will certainly take a flyer.

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