After signing with the Mets at the age of 31, Bay's career took a nosedive.
Former Mets, Red Sox, Pirates, and Mariners outfielder Jason Bay is expected to retire, according to Shi Davidi of SportNet.ca. Following the Mets' terrible 2009 season, Bay signed a four-year, $66 million contract, which also included a vesting option for a fifth year, with the team.
From there, Bay's career fell off a cliff. In three seasons with the Mets, Bay dealt with injuries and hit .234/.318/.369 with just 26 home runs in 1,125 plate appearances. For a hitter who typically slugged among the league's best before 2010, it was a huge disappointment.
The Mets managed to buy Bay out of the last guaranteed year of his contract plus the vesting option last winter, and he played with the Mariners for part of 2013, hitting 11 home runs but posting a .298 OBP, before he was released.
