Potential Suitors for MLB's Top 10 Remaining Free Agents
Over the past week, a flurry of free agents were gobbled up by major league teams.
The likes of Ricky Nolasco, Phil Hughes, Dan Haren and Manny Parra were all inked to a wide range of deals. But as the chips continue to fall, the market for the remaining players will adjust accordingly.
For instance, now that there are less starting pitchers on the market, perhaps even Ervin Santana’s demand for a mammoth five-year, $112 million contract seems more reasonable to particular pitching-deprived team. And while Carlos Beltran is old at 36, his list of suitors might be longer than Robinson Cano’s.
Read for updates regarding MLB’s top-10 remaining free agents.
All statistics sourced from Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.com.
10. Carlos Beltran
1 of 10
Some critics and fans assumed that 36-year-old Carlos Beltran would be lucky to net more than a one-year deal this offseason. But contrary to initial assumptions, the market for the veteran outfielder has been flush.
Perhaps the most interesting—and viable—rumor comes out of Kansas City. According to The Kansas City Star’s Bob Dutton, the Kansas City Royals are willing to meet Beltran’s preference for a three-year deal.
Beltran, who hit .296 with a park-adjusted 128 OPS+ and 24 home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals last season, would be a nice veteran presence for an otherwise young Royals team. It would also mark a quaint homecoming for the former Royals farm hand, too.
9. Ubaldo Jimenez
2 of 10
It took Ubaldo Jimenez a while to get accustomed to the American League, but the pitcher finally enjoyed some success with the Cleveland Indians in 2013.
Jimenez pitched to the tune of a 3.30 ERA (versus a park-adjusted 114 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP and 2.43 K/BB over 182.2 innings this past season. But potential suitors will undoubtedly be more excited about the 29-year-old's second-half performance, as Jimenez posted an impressive 1.82 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 3.70 K/BB after the All-Star break.
Given the pitcher’s explosive second half, Jimenez is in line for a big offseason contract. And according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, perhaps the Seattle Mariners could be the team to hand it to him. After posting the 15th best (or worst) FIP in baseball last season, the Mariners could certainly use another starting pitcher behind Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma.
But the Mariners won’t be alone in the Jimenez sweepstakes. Expect the Toronto Blue Jays to jump onto the Ubaldo Jimenez bandwagon if their rumored interest in Jeff Samardzija, as noted by MLB.com's Gegor Chisholm, doesn’t pan out.
8. Mike Napoli
3 of 10
The Boston Red Sox threw Mike Napoli a lifeline in 2013, inking the hobbled slugger to a one-year, $13 million deal. The flier worked out.
Napoli posted a park-adjusted 129 OPS+, 12.6 percent walk rate and 23 home runs this past season. The oft-injured hitter also accumulated a career-best 578 plate appearances, too.
Given Napoli’s newfound health and helpful production in 2013, the Red Sox would have to pony up a lot more cash to retain the right-handed hitter’s services. And according to The Boston Herald’s Jen Royle, the Red Sox have offered the catcher/first baseman a potentially hefty one-year contract. Napoli, however, prefers a multi-year commitment.
.png?w=256)
7. Hiroki Kuroda
4 of 10
Even with all the New York Yankees struggles last season, Hiroki Kuroda kept producing at his usual rate. The 38-year-old posted a 3.31 ERA (versus a park-adjusted 122 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP and 3.49 K/BB.
But even though Kuroda could command a multi-year deal from any pitching-starved team, the right-hander has instead opted for one-year deals from the Yankees over the past few seasons. The veteran appears to only be interested in pitching in New York, but don't rule him returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers once again.
Given the Yankees' recent offer reported by ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand, it’s conceivable Kuroda may once again re-up with the Bombers for the 2014 season.
6. Matt Garza
5 of 10
Matt Garza had been in the midst of a career year for the Chicago Cubs, pitching to the tune of a 3.17 ERA (versus a park-adjusted 125 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP and 3.10 K/BB, but a midseason trade to the Texas Rangers significantly dented Garza’s sterling season.
The 30-year-old posted a mere 4.38 ERA (versus a 94 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP and 3.36 K/BB for the playoff-hopeful Rangers. Needless to say, Garza did not provide the Rangers with the ace-like performances he had been spinning earlier in the season.
Second-half fade aside, Garza should still be able to net a three-year contract on the open market. And with a vacant rotation slot, the Washington Nationals could make a push for the right-hander’s services. A move back to the National League and into a more pitcher-friendly ballpark could only help Matt Garza improve.
5. Ervin Santana
6 of 10
Ervin Santana is looking to cash in on his fine 2013 campaign. According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, Santana is a seeking a five-year, $112 million contract, which would pay the pitcher over $22 million per season.
But even though the right-hander posted a 3.24 ERA (versus a park-adjusted 127 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP and 3.16 K/BB last season, Santana’s demand seems more eye-popping than Robinson Cano’s supposed $310 million request.
Yet, it’s still possible that Santana will earn a pretty penny on the free-agent market. If the New York Yankees lose out on Masahiro Tanaka and fail to re-sign Hiroki Kuroda, the Bombers might feel inclined to ink Santana.
It’s worth noting that Santana owns a career 6.34 ERA at Yankee Stadium.
4. Shin-Soo Choo
7 of 10
The Texas Rangers shocked the baseball world this offseason by acquiring Prince Fielder from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Ian Kinsler. But ESPN.com’s David Schoenfield doesn’t think the Rangers are done adding offense.
Schoenfield opines that “the Rangers' biggest offensive problem in 2013 wasn't power. Rather, it was getting on base against right-handed pitching.” And considering Shin-Soo Choo boasted a .423 on-base percentage in 2013, the outfielder might be the perfect fit.
Choo won’t come cheaply, however. With Hunter Pence’s five-year, $90 million contract setting the market early on, Choo’s contract will undoubtedly trump it.
3. Masahiro Tanaka
8 of 10
Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Dan Haren, it hardly removes the spendthrift organization from making an additional pitching investment in Masahiro Tanaka.
Tanaka enjoyed a lot of success in Japan last season, pitching to the tune of a 1.27 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 5.72 K/BB over 212.0 IP. Given the dearth of potential aces on the market, Tanaka’s posting fee could exceed the $51.7 million fee the Texas Rangers paid to negotiate with Yu Darvish just a few offseasons ago.
Adding Tanaka to a rotation that already includes Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Haren would instantly make the Dodgers early-2014 World Series favorites.
2. Jacoby Ellsbury
9 of 10
The Chicago Cubs are still in re-building mode, but the status quo still didn’t prevent ESPN.com’s David Schoenfield from writing an entire piece focused on why Jacoby Ellsbury would be the perfect fit for the Cubs’ future.
Schoenfield asserts that since the Cubs have few big-salaried commitments beyond 2014, adding a dynamic player like Ellsbury should become the organization’s focus this offseason.
Perhaps the veteran sports writer has a point. There are few players—and available players—who boast the skillset Ellsbury brings to the table. The 30-year-old is an elite defender, having gloved a 13 DRS in 2013. The center fielder also posted a .298 batting average, park-adjusted 114 OPS+, nine home runs and 52 stolen bases.
Considering current Cubs executive Theo Epstein drafted Ellsbury when he was the general manager of the Boston Red Sox, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume that Epstein would again covet the outfielder.
1. Robinson Cano
10 of 10
Apparently Robinson Cano can be had for less than $300 million—at least, according to Robinson Cano, via ESPN.com.
But, as the above article also reports, Cano and the New York Yankees are still “far apart” on coming to a deal. Regardless of whether it’s a 10-year, $310 million contract (as rumored earlier in the offseason) or the nine-year, $252 million Cano has instead claimed to covet, it still makes sense for the Yankees to re-sign their homegrown star.
Aside from being one the most consistent producers in baseball (average 6.8 bWAR from 2009 to 2013), the Bombers’ lineup would look bare and ancient without the second baseman in it.
And the Yankees don’t need Cano to be Michael Jordan—as The New York Daily News’ Mark Feinsand reported Cano's agent Jay Z has been publicizing him as—they just need him to be Robinson Cano.
.png?w=480)
