New York Mets v Philadelphia Phillies

Jay Bruce #19 of the New York Mets hits an RBI single in the top of the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 30, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

(Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

For the Mets, the Yoenis Cespedes free-agent equation is about dollars, sense and numbers.



For the right price, the Mets would be smart to keep the best player in Queens and gear up for a third consecutive run to the postseason. If Cespedes gets too expensive or finds an outrageous offer on the open market, general manager Sandy Alderson has set up enough roster depth in the outfield--Curtis Granderson, Michael Conforto, Juan Lagares, Jay Bruce--to get by in 2017.



Of course, that depth--as we saw at times down the stretch in 2016--is a double-edged sword for manager Terry Collins. Having five capable outfielders for 2017 would create playing time questions that may be too difficult to navigate considering that only one (Lagares) should be playing center field on a daily basis for defensive purposes.



At some point, something has to give. If Cespedes does return, the idea of the Mets trading Jay Bruce just months after acquiring him has some merit.





When--or if--that day arrives this hot-stove season, a team rumored to be on the outskirts of the Cespedes sweepstakes could come calling: NL East rival Phillies.



That idea comes from Joel Sherman of the New York Post after connecting the dots from Phillies general manager Matt Klentak on the team looking to upgrade its offense--at the right price:



But their trade last week with the Astros for Neshek illustrated they are more likely to trade for someone such as Jay Bruce than to sign Cespedes. Philadelphia will take on one-year deals (Neshek is owed $6.5 million in 2017, Bruce $13 million) to try to address inadequacies, but they do not want to yet fill up future payrolls or block arriving prospects.



"What we do now has to fit our broader organizational plan," Phillies GM Matt Klentak said. "We are looking for players that fit our timeline and narrative."

Where top FA will sign



Bruce, owed $13M on a one-year deal in 2017, could be a good fit for the Phillies. If he plays well, he's young enough (29) to enter Philadelphia's long-term plans. If he's great and looks poised for a huge deal next winter, Philadelphia could flip him at the trade deadline. With Citizens Bank Park's friendly dimensions, a 35-plus home run season from Bruce wouldn't be hard to imagine.



In 2016, Bruce hit 33 HR and posted an .815 OPS with the Reds and Mets. Since debuting in 2008, Bruce has hit 241 homers. That's good for 11th most in baseball and fifth most among all outfielders.

Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.