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Heyman’s Latest: Hosmer, Corbin, O’s, Astros, Brewers, Rangers

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Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports covers a lot of ground in his latest Inside Baseball column, beginning with a look at the Royals and the closing window of Kansas City’s core players (Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas). Hosmer is controllable through 2017, and while the Royals would love to keep him in K.C. forever, Heyman writes that Royals brass feels Hosmer and agent Scott Boras could seek $20MM+ on a 10-year deal. Those numbers may sound jarring for Hosmer, especially in light of Brandon Belt’s $79MM price tag this offseason, but a pair of GMs to whom Heyman spoke invoked contractual comparisons of Jason Heyward and Jacoby Ellsbury when looking ahead to Hosmer’s market. Hosmer will be entering his age-28 season when he hits the free-agent market, so he’ll certainly have youth on his side in addition to consistently improving performance.

More from the lengthy column…

  • While the Diamondbacks have received trade interest in left-hander Patrick Corbin, GM Dave Stewart bluntly tells Heyman that he is “not moving Corbin.”  Moving Corbin right now would be selling exceptionally low on a highly talented left-hander in the midst of a down season; Corbin looked like a budding star with the D-backs in 2013 and barely missed a beat in 2015 when returning from 2014 Tommy John surgery, but he’s currently sporting a 4.94 ERA on the season.
  • The Orioles continue to hunt for starting pitching and have looked at Rich Hill and also checked in on Drew Pomeranz prior to his trade to the Red Sox. Baltimore, though, is pretty low on top-end prospects, which could make it difficult to submit the best offer for Hill, who’s been in high demand this summer.
  • Astros right-hander Scott Feldman is available in trades, according to Heyman, and some rival executives believe that Houston would be open to moving Pat Neshek and Josh Fields despite their recent surge back into the division race. Feldman has handled a shift to the bullpen with aplomb and is currently sporting a 2.56 ERA with an improved 6.2 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9 and a 47.6 percent ground-ball rate in 52 2/3 innings. He’s earning $8MM in the final season of a front-loaded three-year, $30MM contract. Neshek has a $7.8MM club option for the 2017 season ($500K buyout) and has a strong 2.54 ERA, though metrics like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all feel he’s been fortunate to post that mark this season. Fields is the opposite, with strong peripherals laying underneath an unsightly 6.89 ERA. He’s controllable through 2018.
  • There “hasn’t been much buzz lately” when it comes to the potential trades of Brewers stars Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun, per Heyman, who notes that Lucroy again voiced at the All-Star festivities that he’d like to play for a contending club. Heyman adds that relievers Will Smith and Jeremy Jeffress figure to draw plenty of interest, though there’s no firm indication that Milwaukee is open to dealing either of those controllable bullpen cogs.
  • A club that spoke to the Rangers about trades came away with the impression that Joey Gallo isn’t very attainable. Gallo hasn’t been definitively mentioned as a trade candidate, but there’s been plenty of speculation about whether he could be included in a win-now move for the Rangers, especially in the wake of Adrian Beltre’s extension earlier this season. Heyman adds that the Rangers have investigated “basically all available starters,” which lines up with reports from recent weeks linking them to the likes of Ervin Santana, Pomeranz, Jake Odorizzi, Matt Moore and others.

Diamondbacks Option Shelby Miller To Triple-A

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The Diamondbacks announced tonight that they have optioned struggling right-hander Shelby Miller to Triple-A Reno. Arizona did not announce a corresponding move at this time.

Just four months ago, this would’ve been an unthinkable outcome for Miller, who was coming off his finest season as a Major Leaguer. The 25-year-old posted a 3.02 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 in 205 innings in his lone season with the Braves after coming to Atlanta in the December 2014 Jason Heyward swap. That performance led the D-backs to part with an king’s ransom — center fielder Ender Inciarte, 2014 first-round pick Aaron Blair and 2015 No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson — to acquire Miller in a trade this summer.

However, the 2016 has been a disaster for Miller, whose 7.14 ERA is the third-highest in all of baseball among pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched.  He’s missed some time this season with a finger injury but struggled even in his return from the disabled list, posting a 7.23 ERA over his final four starts prior to the All-Star break. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic tweets that Miller said he understands why he’s being sent down and candidly added that he was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.

Miller’s trade was among the most talked-about swaps in recent history, as many considered the price paid by the D-backs to be exorbitant in nature. However, even the most adamant detractors of the deal have been surprised by the struggles of Miller, which have played a major role in what has been a disappointing season for the Diamondbacks overall. Arizona lost center fielder A.J. Pollock, one of the game’s top all-around players, for much (if not all) of the 2016 season before Opening Day, and it watched $206.5MM starter Zack Greinke falter out of the gates as well. The D-backs have also lost right-hander Rubby De La Rosa to the disabled list for most of the season to date, and the club’s projected No. 3 starter, Patrick Corbin, has had issues of his own. While Corbin’s woes haven’t been as pronounced as those of Miller, he’s currently toting a 4.94 ERA after pitching to a 3.47 mark between his two most recent healthy seasons (2015 and 2013).

The end result for the Diamondbacks has been a 38-52 record and a last-place standing in the NL West that few would have predicted following their flashy offseason. The D-backs have reluctantly begun to operate as sellers, having already traded Brad Ziegler to the Red Sox.

Red Sox Agree To Terms With Jason Groome

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The Red Sox and first-round pick Jason Groome have agreed to terms on a $3.65MM signing bonus, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports (via Twitter). The agreement, which is pending a physical, comes less than 24 hours before the deadline to sign 2016 draft picks.

Groome, selected at with the No. 12 overall pick, will receive $457K above his $3.192MM slot value. However, there was some trepidation as to whether he’d sign (or at least as to how much he’d sign for), as the high school lefty was reported to have an agreement in place to go to the Padres at No. 24 for a $5MM bonus. That caused teams to pass on him early in the draft — he was once looked at as a potential first overall pick and later a potential top five selection — but the Sox snagged him at No. 12 anyway despite likely knowing they would be unable to meet that price.

Adding Groome to the system gives Boston a top-end talent to add to its minor league ranks. He rated as the top prospect in this year’s draft class in the estimation of Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, while ESPN’s Keith Law rated him second overall and Baseball America ranked him as the draft’s No. 3 prospect. While there have been some negative reports on Groome’s makeup, the scouting reports on him are excellent. Law writes that Groome has the best high school curveball he’s seen since Lucas Giolito, while Callis and Mayo write that the 6’6″, 220-pounder “has everything to be a top-of-the-rotation left-handed starting pitcher,” with a 92-93 mph heater, the aforementioned curveball and a sparsely used changeup for which he shows good feel. BA agreed and praised his “sound delivery” and the necessary strength to repeat his mechanics well.

Beyond Groome, Callis reports (via Twitter) that the Sox have also reached an over-slot agreement with fifth-rounder Mike Shawaryn. The right-hander from Maryland will receive a $637,500 bonus that significantly outpaces his $375,500 slot. Shawaryn rated 77th on BA’s Top 500, 91st on Law’s Top 100 and 139th on MLB.com’s Top 200, with the various scouting reports on the Terrapin righty noting that a down season caused his stock to tumble from a potential first- or second-round pick to the middle rounds. However, the over-slot deal will convince the college junior from taking his chance at a stronger senior season that could’ve rebuilt some of his draft value.

Callis also reports (via Twitter) that Boston also inked fourth-rounder Bobby Dalbec — a third baseman out of Arizona — for a $650K bonus that tops his $501,300 slot. Dalbec came in at No. 88 on MLB.com’s Top 200 and No. 118 on BA’s Top 500.

Latest On The Pirates’ Rotation

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Multiple reports last week indicated that the Pirates are shopping left-hander Jon Niese, and and today Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review adds that the Bucs are trying to move Niese and/or fellow lefty Jeff Locke (Twitter link). Trading either struggling southpaw would create a permanent spot in the Pittsburgh rotation for Tyler Glasnow, whose name, as noted by Biertempfel, is not listed among the upcoming probable starters for Pittsburgh’s Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis.

That the Bucs would look to move Locke isn’t exactly a stunner, as the 28-year-old has been on the fringes of the rotation anyhow in recent seasons. Locke found himself in a competition with Vance Worley for a rotation spot in 2015, and, dating back to Opening Day of last season, has pitched to a combined 4.78 ERA in 269 1/3 innings (including a 5.26 mark this season). The 28-year-old is averaging career-lows in K/9 (4.7) and ground-ball rate this season (46.6 percent) and has yielded a troublesome .287/.351/.498 batting line to opposing right-handed hitters this season.

Locke isn’t teeming with upside, but a club that has been beset by injuries in the rotation could certainly do worse than him when filling out the back of the rotation. Locke did, after all, manage a 3.98 ERA in 81 starts from 2013-15, and he’s earning a reasonable $3.025MM salary in 2016. He’s controllable for another pair of seasons beyond the current campaign and doesn’t figure to be in line for a significant bump in salary due to his aforementioned 2016 struggles.

While it’s rare to see a contending club move one or even two arms from its big league rotation — especially when its ace (i.e. Gerrit Cole) is on the disabled list — Pittsburgh has a number of young, MLB-ready arms that could step into the rotation down the stretch. In addition to Glasnow, we’ve seen Jameson Taillon, Steven Brault and Chad Kuhl each make his Major League debut this season. Taillon, of course, is presently on the big league disabled list with some fatigue in his right shoulder and will eventually need to have his innings capped after not pitching in 2014-15 due to injury. However, he could return later this month, and the Bucs are also hoping to get Cole back following the All-Star break as well (he’s already begun a Triple-A rehab assignment). Vogelsong, too, could be back in late July. As such, even without Locke and Niese, Pittsburgh could conceivably have a combination of Cole, Francisco Liriano, Vogelsong, Glasnow, Kuhl, Taillon and Brault make the bulk of their starts in the final two and a half of months of the season.

White Sox Outright Scott Carroll

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Right-hander Scott Carroll has been outrighted off the White Sox’ 40-man  roster, according to Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). The Sox have since announced the outright, but an accompanying move has not been announced or reported.

Carroll, 31, has appeared in three games for the White Sox this season and a total of 47 contests for the South Siders over the past three seasons. Since making his big league debut in 2014 at the age of 29, Carroll has pitched to a 4.60 ERA with 5.0 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 168 1/3 innings. He’s made 19 starts in that time, though none since 2014, and has been pitching for the Sox’ Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte since mid-May. Carroll’s career work at the Triple-A level is, somewhat stunningly, a near-mirror image of his big league production. He’s totaled 395 innings at the top minor league level and posted a 4.60 ERA that is identical to his Major League mark while averaging 5.3 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9.

It’s not clear how the Sox will utilize the empty 40-man spot for now. The club doesn’t need a 40-man roster spot to activate Justin Morneau from the minors, as he signed a Major League deal and is already on the 40-man roster. The Sox could use the spot to select someone from their minor league ranks that isn’t currently on the 40-man or could be keeping it open as they explore the trade market for center fielders, as they were reported to be doing earlier this afternoon.

Rays, Kevin Jepsen Agree To Major League Deal

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The Rays and right-hander Kevin Jepsen, who was released by the Twins recently following a DFA, have agreed to a Major League deal, reports SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (links to Twitter). Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported shortly before that news that the two sides were nearing a deal (via Twitter) and had first mentioned the Rays’ interest in a reunion with Jepsen last week, while Cotillo tweeted yesterday that the Rays were one of many teams to whom Jepsen and his agents at the Beverly Hills Sports Council had spoken.

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With this agreement, Jepsen now returns to the very club that traded him to Minnesota roughly one year ago (in exchange for minor league right-handers Chih-Wei Hu and Alexis Tapia). The soon-to-be 32-year-old was brilliant for Minnesota down the stretch last season and stepped into the Twins’ closer role following an injury to Glen Perkins, logging a pristine 1.61 ERA with 8.0 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, a 40.8 percent ground-ball rate and 10 saves. That stellar performance led to a $5.3MM salary in arbitration this offseason, but Jepsen looked like a completely different pitcher with the 2016 Twins than he did with the 2015 version of the team.

In 30 2/3 innings with Minnesota this season, Jepsen posted a dismal 6.16 ERA and saw a significant decline in nearly every rate stat. He averaged just 6.5 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 with a 30.2 percent ground-ball rate. Per Fangraphs, Jepsen yielded 29.6 percent hard contact in 2015 but saw that number soar to 38.4 percent in 2016, thanks largely to an 8.5 percent increase in his line-drive rate (19.8 percent to 28.3 percent). He’s also seen drops in the chase rate and swinging-strike rate of his opponents, and opposing batters have greatly upped their contact rate against him.

Suffice it to say, the 2016 season hasn’t gone as planned for Jepsen (or for the last-place Twins). However, the Rays have had success with reclamation projects of this nature in the past, and Jepsen comes at a very affordable rate. The Twins are on the hook for the remainder of that $5.3MM salary (minus the pro-rated portion of the league minimum, which means he’ll cost the Rays about $222K through season’s end.

[Related: Updated Tampa Bay Rays depth chart]

Jepsen will join a Rays bullpen that currently features Alex Colome as the closer. Brad Boxberger had been tabbed for that role after leading the AL in saves in 2015, but he underwent hernia surgery in Spring Training and suffered an oblique strain in his first appearance back on the mound in late May when he returned from that first injury. Tampa Bay’s relief corps also features right-handers Erasmo Ramirez, Matt Andriese and Tyler Sturdevant at the moment. That group is probably safe, but Jepsen could take over the spot of struggling relievers Enny Romero or Ryan Garton. A 40-man roster move will also need to be made to accommodate Jespen’s return.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Red Sox Close To Deal With First-Rounder Jason Groome

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12:57pm: Boston is indeed closing in on a final agreement, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports, though it’s still not over the finish line. He adds that the Red Sox had previously moved their offer to over $3.5MM — well above the ~$3.2MM slot allocation — and has crept further northward in recent days.

10:53am: The Red Sox are close to a deal with first-round draft pick Jason Groome, according to Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald (via Twitter). The young southpaw is in Boston for his physical, but the sides are still finalizing the contract terms.

Last we checked, the sides were headed toward an arrangement but still haggling over the final price. With Groome making the trip to get his medical clearance, it certainly seems that any remaining gap will be bridged in short order.

A high-school starter, Groome entered the draft as one of the most highly-rated prospects available, with MLB.com (#1), ESPN.com (#2), and Baseball America (#3) all listing him at or near the top of their boards. Chatter about his makeup seemingly took him out of contention for the top several picks, leaving other organizations in position to nab him down the line. While the Padres were said to have put a high-budget offer on the table later in the first round, the Sox chose to take a chance on signing him.

White Sox Scanning Market For Center Fielders

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The White Sox are scanning the market for center field help, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter link). It seems that the organization isn’t sure how Austin Jackson is progressing after undergoing knee surgery a month ago.

We’ve heard mostly about the possibility of Chicago adding a slugging corner outfielder to date, but a slow return from Jackson would certainly increase the need for an up-the-middle option. Even if he is able to return in relatively short order, it would be nice to have a player capable of manning center given Jackson’s less-than-exciting performance to date.

The Sox do still have Adam Eaton on hand. He’s plenty youthful and athletic and manned the position last year, after all. But defensive metrics have viewed him as a sub-par performer up the middle while grading him as an outstanding defender in right, and that surely weighs into the calculus.

A glance at the most recent MLBTR top trade candidate list shows that the top trade options trend toward the corners. Charlie Blackmon is probably the premium center fielder who might be had, with a reborn Melvin Upton also rating as a candidate. Other possibilities include Peter Bourjos, who’d provide a nice glove, though it’s fair to wonder whether the South Siders would be better served with a more significant addition. A player such as Blackmon could push Jackson into a corner outfield platoon when he returns and provide some thump for the lineup.

Playoff Contender Needs (American League)

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Heading into the 2nd half of the season, 19 teams are within 5.5 games of a playoff spot while maintaining a .500 or better record. These are what we call the “playoff contenders” and, as of right now, they are potential “buyers” on the trade market in the coming weeks.

On the other end of the spectrum, those teams with sub-.500 records don’t appear to have what it takes to get back into contention. The Phillies and Rockies aren’t that far behind—they’re six and seven games behind the second Wild Card spot, respectively—and neither is a walk in the park on the schedule for opponents. But at six and eight games under .500, respectively, I’d be surprised if either front office isn’t ready to wheel and deal right now. If not already, these 11 teams will be in selling mode very soon.

Starting with the American League, let’s take a close look at each contending team’s biggest areas of need and some potential trade targets that could help down the stretch.

AL EAST

Baltimore Orioles
51-36, 1st Place, +2
STARTING PITCHING

The good news for the divison-leading Orioles is that they have the 6th best record in baseball despite having one of the worst starting rotations in baseball. The bad news is that, barring a trade or two, they still have to play 75 games with one of the worst rotations in baseball.

Sure, the O’s are very good at hitting home runs and closing out games. That formula could work in the post-season. But very bad starting pitching will eventually wear a team down, making it very difficult to finish strong and actually make it into the post-season.

Chris Tillman is having a nice season. Kevin Gausman has been very good at times, but doesn’t appear quite ready to be the frontline starter the O’s need to carry them into the playoffs. Yovani Gallardo has been a disappointment. Ubaldo Jimenez continues to be awful. Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson have been serviceable, although both have an ERA over 5.00. Help isn’t on the way, either.

The O’s might not have the farm system to land a controllable top-of-the-rotation starter, but they have enough intriguing prospects—former 1st Round pick Hunter Harvey, Futures Game catcher Chance Sisco and 1st baseman Trey Mancini (.882 OPS between Triple-A and Double-A) all have value—to compete for the top rental available (Rich Hill) or a very good mid-rotation starter with control (Drew Pomeranz, Hector Santiago or Drew Smyly).

Orioles Depth Chart

Boston Red Sox
49-38, Wild Card (1st-T), +2
STARTING PITCHING

The Sox struck early to solidify their bullpen, acquiring Brad Ziegler last week with Craig Kimbrel expected to miss 3-6 weeks. The offense is already one of the best in baseball and, if they choose, could possibly get better with internal options like Andrew Benintendi and/or Yoan Moncada.

Like the Orioles, though, this is a team that’s lucky to be where they’re at considering the state of their starting rotation.

They’re nowhere near as shaky as the Orioles’ starting rotation—David Price has mostly been himself aside from a few bad outings, Rick Porcello has been solid and Steven Wright was a well-deserved All-Star selection—but this is a team that had journeyman Sean O’Sullivan penciled into the No. 4 spot in their rotation before he recently landed on the disabled list.

A handful of young pitchers could potentially step up and help out in the 2nd half—Eduardo Rodriguez will return from Triple-A to start on Friday—but this is a team in desperate need of some stability. With so much minor league talent, the Sox have the means to go after Hill and a controllable frontline starter like Chris Archer or Julio Teheran, although it would be tough to get the Rays or Braves to budge on either of their staff aces without the inclusion of Benintendi or Moncada.

Red Sox Depth Chart

Toronto Blue Jays
51-40, Wild Card (1st-T), +2
LATE-INNING RELIEF PITCHING or STARTING PITCHING

Even with Marcus Stroman having a disappointing season, the Jays clearly have the best starting rotation in the division. And if Stroman’s last two starts are any indication that he’s turning things around (14.2 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 12 K), the Jays have the potential to overtake the Orioles and run away with the division. The bullpen, however, might not have enough talent to help the cause.

While Jason Grilli has given the ’pen a big boost since his acquisition last month (2.63 ERA, 13.2 IP, 6 BB, 23 K, 4 holds, 1 save), they’ll need another reliable arm to help bridge the gap to closer Roberto Osuna. Drew Storen hasn’t done enough to regain a high-leverage role and Brett Cecil is also no longer a trustworthy option with the game on the line.

The answer could already be on the 25-man roster, but Aaron Sanchez is no longer a lock to move to the bullpen later in the season. Pitching well enough to be named to the All-Star team might have altered those plans. Manager John Gibbons said recently, however, that he still thinks Sanchez will shift to the bullpen at some point to limit his workload.

If the Jays do plan on moving Sanchez back to the bullpen—he posted a 2.39 ERA in 30 appearances last season while limiting opponents to a .178 batting average—they would likely pursue a trade for a starting pitcher. MLBTR’s Jeff Todd wrote about the Trade Market for Starting Pitchers on Wednesday.

Blue Jays Depth Chart

New York Yankees
44-44, Wild Card (8th), -5.5
STARTING PITCHING and OUTFIELDER

As difficult as the Yankees are to beat if they can get to the 6th or 7th inning with a lead—see Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman—they’re probably not good enough to do it often enough to make the necessary leap of six teams in order to make the playoffs. In fact, they could join the list of “sellers” if they fall any further back in a week or two.

A lack of good starting pitching has been an issue. Masahiro Tanaka continues to shine despite pitching with a partially torn elbow ligament, but he’s not getting much help. CC Sabathia’s career resurgence has taken a turn for the worse. After lowering his ERA to 2.20 with a quality start on June 16th, the 35-year-old lefty has allowed at least five earned runs in four consecutive starts. Nate Eovaldi and Ivan Nova have ERAs over 5.00. So does Michael Pineda, although his strong peripherals (2.5 BB/9, 10.7 K/9) are encouraging.

If you’re looking at the offense to carry the team, that’s probably not going to happen either. Carlos Beltran, Didi Gregorius and Brian McCann have all been very good. Jacoby Ellsbury has been OK. Everyone else on the roster, aside from maybe backup catcher Austin Romine, has underperformed.

The best internal option who could’ve potentially brought some firepower to the offense was Triple-A outfielder Aaron Judge, who made my “Knocking Down The Door” list a few weeks back. The 24-year-old right fielder is expected to miss 3-4 weeks, however, after suffering a knee injury last week.

While you can’t rule out the Yankees from making a trade now as a last-ditch effort to stay in contention, it’s likely that they go with what they have and hope that someone like Luis Severino, who has pitched much better since a demotion to Triple-A in late May, could light a fire under the team and get them a few games closer to a playoff spot by late July. If that happens, they could look to add one of the several big-name outfielders that could be available (Jay Bruce, Carlos Gonzalez, Josh Reddick), as well as a lower-cost starting pitcher—Andrew Cashner and Jeremy Hellickson come to mind—to help take some pressure off of Tanaka and the bullpen.

Yankees Depth Chart

***Click below to read breakdowns of all the other AL contenders***

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Latest On Blue Jays, Jose Bautista

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After looking in yesterday at Edwin Encarnacion’s situation with the Blue Jays, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports provides an update on the team’s stance with regard to fellow slugger Jose Bautista. While Toronto has no intentions of meeting Bautista’s high asking price, the club would be interested in a deal in the range of the contract Yoenis Cespedes signed with the Mets — i.e., three years at around $25MM annually.

Even at that price, says Heyman, it’s no sure thing that the Jays would bite. And even if the team moves into such a range — perhaps including an opt-out opportunity to sweeten the pot — it’s unclear whether Bautista would reciprocate. The word over the winter was that he was seeking five years and $150MM, which in truth always seemed a stretch. Despite his consistent excellence, after all, Bautista is already closing in on his 36th birthday.

With the first half of the year in the books, that kind of payday seems even further from reality. Though a recent toe injury doesn’t reflect any broader health issues, Bautista was off to a relatively pedestrian .230/.360/.455 slash over his first 286 plate appearances.

While he’s still walking as much as he strikes out, isn’t too far off of his usual power output with a .226 ISO, and has been hurt by a .239 BABIP, any erosion in productivity will be watched closely by teams weighing a major investment in an older player. And that’s before considering Bautista’s deteriorating glovework in the outfield, which could soon mandate a shift to first base or a DH role.

As MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes explained in his most recent free agent power rankings, it’s not even certain at this point that Bautista will command a fourth guaranteed year in the coming winter. That assessment is impacted, too, by the presence of other high-quality, open-market options — including power bats like Cespedes (assuming he opts out), Encarnacion, and Mark Trumbo as well as strong all-around outfielders such as Josh Reddick, Dexter Fowler, Ian Desmond, Carlos Gomez, and Michael Saunders.

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