Here are the latest free agent rumors:
- The Diamondbacks have not been in contact with free agent reliever Fernando Rodney, writes Jack Magruder of Fanragsports.com. A previous report had tied Rodney to the DBacks, Padres, Blue Jays, and Cubs. Since then, we’ve also learned the Padres are out. Presumably, Toronto’s interest ceased when they acquired Drew Storen from the Nationals. After a late-season renaissance with the Cubs, Rodney should still garner plenty of interest as teams nail down the final components of their bullpen. Meanwhile, Arizona may opt to rely on their wealth of internal options headlined by Brad Ziegler and Daniel Hudson.
- Dexter Fowler’s market has been slow to develop, writes Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago. The center fielder is coming off his best season to date, although his OBP declined below his career average. Among contenders, Levine figures that only the Rangers, Mariners, Indians, White Sox, and Cubs are a fit (he also lists the Nationals, but the Ben Revere trade likely nullifies that pick). Both Chicago clubs could benefit from installing Fowler in center field. A reunion with the Cubs would require a trade of right fielder Jorge Soler – probably for high quality pitching – and it would allow Jason Heyward to return to his natural position of right field. Levine also figures that White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton is better suited for a corner outfield role.
- The Orioles have not made any progress in talks with free agent Chris Davis, writes Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. Baltimore made a seven-year, $150MM offer earlier in the offseason and has seen no reason to submit a higher bid. While agent Scott Boras is selling Davis as an outfield option, Encina views him purely as a first baseman. To this point, no other serious suitors have emerged for Davis. Encina also cites reports that the Orioles are in on pitcher Yovani Gallardo, but those talks may depend on Davis.
orioles aren’t going make move until Davis and his unfriendly agent Boras or another team put a bid on him I hope stay away from that Gallardo
No way Rangers get Fowler. They wouldn’t have sacrificed a pick for Wieters, and they need catching. If they aren’t in on Justin Upton, a right handed power hitter, then they definitely would not want Fowler.
Also Seattle seems rather unlikely with their numerous outfield options.
I still think JoeyBats ends up in Texas.
The Rangers better move quickly. Joey Votto’s contract will pay him $25M annually as a 34 year old in 2018 until he is 39 in 2023…with a $20M team option/$7M buyout as a 40 year old in 2024.
Of course, the way MLB salaries have escalated, that may be a bargain in the not too distant future. 🙁
I’d love to see a Votto trade but I think Joey Bats is Jose Bautista.
baseball-reference.com/players/b/bautijo02.shtml
No way Rangers would take Votto. They already have Prince Fielder and they are too LH heavy as is. Plus JoeyBats is Jose Bautista
Joey bats has 10-5 rights.
The Rangers “wouldn’t have sacrificed a pick for (Matt) Wieters’?
Hard to know that for sure since the catcher accepted his qualifying offer returned to the Orioles eleven days into the offseason.
According to Evan Grant prior to the beginning of the offseason, Rangers wouldn’t have been interested if it would cost their first round pick
I like Fowler back to the cubs, but I would hate for them to trade Solar… this kid is going to be a monster at bat.
I’m not a Cubs fan, but Soler just seems to drip with talent. No team can ever have too much power.
I don’t think any Cubs fan “wants” to trade Soler. But you have to give up something if you want to get something. And Soler would be a great centerpiece for a CC young arm like Ross or Salazar.
Dexter Fowler would make sense returning to the Cubs if they can get him to agree to a two year contract while they assess the development of their own top CF prospect Albert Almora, who will debut in AAA this season. Fowler would be a better lead-off hitting option than Jason Heyward, who could then also remain in his accustomed RF position and become the team’s backup in CF.
Theoretically, the Cubs could still retain Jorge Soler and have him rotate in the corners as a platoon partner with Kyle Schwarber in LF while occasionally spelling Heyward in RF when the Cubs face a tough left-handed starting pitcher.
We all know how manager Joe Maddon loves to max out his roster each game. Soler and Schwarber might lose some AB’s with Fowler’s addition, but you can almost guarantee that each will see action in virtually every game the Cubs play in 2016, just as the 148 games played and 503 plate appearances in 2015 for Chris Coghlan would attest to. In addition to LF, Schwarber should also see some time behind the plate. perhaps once or twice a week. Both he or Soler would give the Cubs a big bat off the bench most days and we both know Maddon might optimize that advantage at virtually any point of any given game. Soler has also had an unfortunate history of being on the disabled list throughout his professional career, so there’s no guarantee he would stay injury free all season as a regular anyway.
The additional depth the Cubs would possess could always be used to acquire an upgrade in their rotation behind their top 3 of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and John Lackey. Packaging multiple MLB ready talent and/or prospects might actually fetch them another ace like Jose Fernandez or a solid #3 like Carlos Carrasco, Jose Quintana or Tyson Ross.
If you’re the White Sox, looking for a power bat to play the corner OF, I have to believe it’d be tough to pass up a package of Soler, Vogelbach and Almora for Quintana. Soler gives the Sox a bat right now. Almora should be ready to play gold-glove defense in CF by 2017 – a move that would allow Eaton to shift to LF once Cabrera is off the books. And Vogelbach is a potential big bat that could finally fill the Sox DH void.
That would be a nice trade, but no way would the Cubs trade all of that for Quintana. At least I do not see it occurring (and if I’m the Sox Im not trading Quintana unless an arm is also being sent back). You talk about the Sox acquiring a power bat of a corner OF spot, but then champion the idea of Eaton as a corner OF? Eaton does not have a strong enough bat to be a corner OF. Cabrera is a better DH at this point (and a switch hitter to boot) so I’m not sure where this off the books comes from as the Sox have another 3 years of Cabrera I believe.
Getting rid of Q. would be the dumbest move ever. He’s a quality starter who, with some run support, could be considered one of the best pitchers in the game. He’s under a VERY friendly team contract until 2020 with team options. It would be downright ludicrous to get rid of Sale, Q, or Rodon.
That is way tooooo much to give for Quintana.
No thanks on Vogelbach. Throw in a starting pitching prospect instead, and the Sox might think about it.
If the Sox are serious about contending, they cant afford to trade Quintana. Also, based on what the Braves got for Shelby Miller(who I believe isnt as good as Quintana) the price would be unbelievable. 4 more years of affordable control for one of the most consistent starters in the majors. As a sox fan, it would be a huge boost for the future, but not for the present. Soler, vogelbach, almora wouldn’t get the job done.
Agreed. Way too much!
How much did the Cubs increase their payroll this off season? What is their budget? How big of a payraise will Arieta and others get in arbitration? How long of a contract will Fowler get?
You make some good points, but there are some holes in your theory.
I don’t really think the Mariners are a fit for Fowler, 1. We can’t afford him, 2 we gave up Wilhelmson for the center fielder we have now, so we don’t need to replace him before he gets a chance
Will another 20-30 million dollars really make much difference to Davis life. I am all for getting the most you can, but if there were other serious players for Davis I think we would have heard from them by now. I guess Boras knows best though
I can’t begrudge Davis for trying to get every dollar he can, as there is no guarantee he won’t have another <.200 BAA or get injured on a collision at 1B, etc. He isn't worth $150m based on the current market, but he'll still get paid.
If I were the Jays, I trade Encarnacion who is a FA after this year and sign Davis.
He has 10-5 rights as well so he would have to approve a trade.
Davis is a Boris client. Bad year for that with the market and the draft pick the team who signed him would need to give up. He will age well being so big and able to play DH. Should sign a 3 year deal for big money with Cards.
i don’t think anyone said the padres were “out” on rodney. the dennis lin tweet yesterday just said they were “not currently the favorites”
Thinking Fowler returns to the Cubs on a 3 year deal at $12ish. Cubs deal Soler and Vogelbach to Tampa for either Odorizzi or Matt Moore and Jake McGee. Win/win for both teams.
12 AA or 12 total? I don’t want my cubbies to deal Soler, he’s better than Fowler, and Fowler was a minus in dWAR for the Cubs in Center, I’d rather roll with Schwarber-Heyward-Soler with Coughlin and hopefully a Right handed hitting OF capable of playing Center. I’d love McGee and Moore, but I’d rather keep Jorge.
I would do that trade in a heart beat. Huge win for Cubs. Vogelbach is going nowhere with Cubs unless NL gets a DH.
I want Rodney to sign with the Phillies, they need a real closer for the year and he will be cheap with high upside and if he does well we flip him for someone at the deadline, just a thought and the Phillies usually always add vets for depth on the roster
You would figured they would try to uncover another young live arm. If they do they can continue collecting talent. If they don’t well you don’t expect to many potential chances to close.
Yeah I mean if I felt that’s what they were going to do I think they would’ve kept Giles and de fratus and not sign Hernandez, Bailey, Russell and otero (who they traded anyway) granted those tree present possible closers while they try out young arms in short relief roles or set up roles, like they did Giles in 2014 Rodney would be a good veteran presence with a good past of solid results minus a year or two, plus he pitched excellently with Chicago in the second half which might make a NL team want to take the chance on him
Thinking the Cubs should pass on Fowler. Re-sign Austin Jackson as the CF backup/5th outfielder, collect a draft pick for Fowler and call it a day. Give Soler a chance to take the next step forward this year, and either McKinney or Almora to devlop into the CF of the future.
Nobody wants fowler because they are not about to surrender a comp pick for his services. Markets for FA OF’sthis offseason have been as exciting as watching paint dry.
I think it’s odd to say that Fowler is coming off his best year.
Pass on Fowler. Is the Sox give up a draft pick, it better be for Upton. I’d rather the Sox go sign Cespedes. the Sox also shouldn’t trade Quintana or any of their starters: I’d look to doing that in 2018 or 2019 if the Sox are dead in the water though I would have dealt Q for that monster package AZ gave the Braves for Miller.