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By Jackson Roberts
Contributing Sports Writer
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Hot stove season is about to begin in earnest, and the New York Mets have a clear starting point.
Friday was a big day for roster moves around Major League Baseball, and the Mets had some contract decisions to make. They wound up non-tendering three pitchers to bring their 40-man roster down to 37 players, while also avoiding arbitration with one outfielder who might have been in consideration for a non-tender as well.
According to the Mets' official Friday roster announcement, outfielder Tyrone Taylor agreed to a one-year contract to avoid arbitration. It was the 31-year-old's third year of arbitration eligibility, so barring an unexpected extension, he will become a free agent at the end of the upcoming season.
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According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, Taylor's salary for this year will be $3.8 million, which is a $775,000 pay raise over what he made this past season.
New York also officially announced that right-handed pitcher Max Kranick and left-handed pitchers Danny Young and José Castillo had been non-tendered, making them free agents. The rest of New York's arbitration-eligible players, including notable names like Francisco Alvarez and David Peterson, were tendered contracts but could still wind up going to arbitration.
The decision to bring back Taylor wouldn't be an obvious one for every team, but that's the luxury of being a big-market powerhouse like the Mets. Taylor can disappear at the plate for weeks at a time and only does damage of any kind against left-handed pitchers, but he's a fantastic defensive option to have off the bench.
Some teams wouldn't be comfortable paying almost four million bucks for a player in such a narrow role, but New York recognizes that every so often, Taylor's glove could win them a game.
Meanwhile, with three empty spots on the 40-man roster, the Mets have flexibility to make trade additions and/or sign free agents without having to designate anyone new for assignment.
More MLB: Yankees Cut Ties with 5 Pitchers in Roster Move Flurry
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