After a long and tedious session at the bargaining table, the New York Mets finally got their man. According to Fox’s Ken Rosenthal, the Mets and free-agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes have agreed to a three-year deal worth $75 million.

Three years, $75M for Cespedes from #Mets.

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— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 23, 2016

Re-signing Cespedes was a must for the Mets. He single-handedly changed the offensive dynamic in the clubhouse after he was acquired prior to the non-waiver trade deadline and instantly gave their lineup the intimidating presence it so desperately lacked. In 57 regular season games played with New York, Cespedes hit .287 with 17 HR and 44 RBIs, and the Mets went 37-22 overall after the trade to cement a surprise NL East title, and ultimately a World Series appearance.

Doom appeared to be on the horizon this week, however, as their NL East rival Washington Nationals nearly slid in and stole Cespedes right from under the Mets’ collective nose. The Nationals reportedly offered Cespedes a five-year deal worth $100 million, which was thought to be too good for the Cuban slugger to turn down.

But when Cespedes hesitated to accept the Nationals’ lucrative offer, it was clear that he indeed wanted to exhaust all options to stay in the Big Apple with the Mets. Now, we’ve learned it wasn’t just the Nationals who outbid New York.

Source: Cespedes deal with #Mets includes no-trade clause. Had higher offers. Pending physical. @Jonheyman and @JimBowden_ESPN on it.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 23, 2016

The higher offers from Cespedes were from multiple clubs. He is getting the highest AAV for a position player this off-season – above $23M.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 23, 2016

Obviously, $25 million per year is nothing to sneeze at, and Cespedes does have an opt-out clause worked in so that he can test the market again after the 2016 season if he so desires. But he still deserves credit for leaving a boatload of money on the table in order to remain where he’s comfortable and beloved, as so often in professional sports, athletes follow the trail that leads to the biggest pot of gold.

Owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon along with GM Sandy Alderson have taken an overwhelming amount of heat over the last few years for how they have run the show in Flushing, and much of the criticism was warranted. However, re-signing Cespedes was the move they promised to make once the team was within striking distance of winning a World Series, and they ultimately kept their word.