With a number of this offseason’s top free agent market — Yoenis Cespedes, Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen — already off the board, here’s a look at what’s left as we head toward the holiday season. Here are the top 10 remaining players, with rankings via MLBTR’s top 50 list from early November.
2. Edwin Encarnacion. While closers have flown off the board in the last few weeks, the market for sluggers has been slower to develop. A variety of AL teams — including the Indians, Athletics, Rangers and Blue Jays — have been connected to Encarnacion, as have the Rockies and Cardinals in the NL. Thus far, there’s been little reported movement toward a deal, with many of Encarnacion’s potential suitors’ reported interest looking tepid at best.
8. Mark Trumbo. At this point, the Orioles likely have extended the best offer to their former slugger, with the Cardinals and Rockies also looming as possibilities. Trumbo is on the long list of sluggers the Indians have reportedly contacted, and the Mariners appear to be a possibility as well.
10. Ivan Nova. There’s been surprisingly little chatter about Nova even as free agent pitchers like Rich Hill and Jeremy Hellickson have disapppeared from the already poorly stocked starting pitching shelves. Of course, just because there’s little reported movement on a player doesn’t mean there isn’t interest, only that not all the interest has been reported. Pirates GM Neal Huntington says his team has been in touch with its former trade deadline acqusition, although it would be a small upset if the Pirates did sign Nova, due to their apparent budgetary issues. The Astros have been connected to a variety of hurlers, but at last check, they reportedly weren’t in on Nova.
12. Jose Bautista. As with Encarnacion, there doesn’t seem to be much good news for Bautista at the moment, who has been connected to a variety of teams that, for various reasons, aren’t likely to give him the sort of contract he might seek. The potential loss of a draft pick for signing Bautista appears likely to be problematic for some potential suitors as well. A return to the Blue Jays could make the most sense, as MLB.com’s Jon Morosi recently argued.
15. Jason Hammel. At last check, Hammel’s camp said there were ten teams pursuing its client. At present, there’s no telling who those teams might be. The Yankees and Marlins have been connected to Hammel, although it’s unclear how much interest the Marlins might still have after adding Edinson Volquez and Jeff Locke.
16. Matt Wieters. Wieters’ agent, Scott Boras, recently said his client might not sign until late in the offseason, since the market for catchers had been slow. Since then, the Orioles’ signing of Welington Castillo perhaps made it less likely Wieters would return to Baltimore. Fan Rag’s Jon Heyman tweeted today, though, that the Orioles could conceivably still sign Wieters — they like him, and they’ve benefited in the past from late-breaking deals like their 2014 signing of Nelson Cruz. The Braves (who were also connected to Castillo) and Rockies could still make sense as well.
20. Michael Saunders. The Indians reportedly offered Saunders a one-year deal, and the Orioles and Blue Jays have been connected to him as well. At least from the outside, though, Saunders’ market has been quiet.
21. Mike Napoli. Napoli joins a glut of offense-minded corner/DH types on this list, also including Encarnacion, Trumbo, Bautista and Saunders. (The presence of interesting secondary players like Brandon Moss, Chris Carter and Adam Lind also probably hasn’t helped get the market moving.) The Indians have been most strongly connected to Napoli recently.
23. Greg Holland. Unlike many players on this list, Holland could join any number of teams and not cause roster headaches. Bullpens are highly malleable. For that reason, there’s a long list of teams that could gamble on Holland’s upside as he returns from Tommy John surgery. As MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk noted last week, that list includes the Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees, Giants, Red Sox, Indians, Rays, Mariners, Nationals, Padres, Twins, Mets, Phillies, Tigers, Blue Jays, Royals and Brewers, all of whom have shown at least some degree of interest.
24. Travis Wood. We’ve heard nothing about Wood since the Winter Meetings, when it emerged that the Cubs had been in touch with Wood about the possibility of re-signing. Wood reportedly wants another chance to start after a season in which he posted a 2.95 ERA, albeit with a modest 6.9 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9. One factor that could work in his favor in that quest is his hitting ability, which is well above average for a pitcher; for that reason, it wouldn’t be surprising if he wound up with an NL team.
They all sign with marlins, game over.
I have actually thought that Travis Wood could be the perfect target for the Marlins and if not the Marlins that the Padres would be interested in him as a starter. You’ve also got to love his bat as a potential extra in the deal for an NL team.
Agreed
T Wood should go to the Rockies for that reason a hitting pitcher there wow
Mike Hampton
I think Encarnancion will go to the Rangers, Trumbo to the Orioles, Joey Bats stays put and Napoli also stays put with the Indians. Not sure about the other guys O. This list though. I could be wrong obviously but that’s just what I think. I also can see Napoli going back to the Rangers though and Encarnancion going to Boston or the Indians. At this point I have no clue what the hold up is but I am curious to see where all those guys go.
Trumbo and Bautista staying put is logical, because I don’t see any team willing to forfeit a draft pick for either. EE won’t be going to the Red Sox because of their insistence to stay under the soft cap. The Indians can’t afford Napoli. for 3 years. They certainly aren’t going to sign EE., which will cost more, and give up a draft pick. That’s the hold up.
Cards really need EEncarnacion. Otherwise, Card won’t be able to compite with Cubs.
I think the only way the Cardinals sign EE is if he doesnt have a contract by mid to late January. This would mean his price tag would come down and he could consider less years. It’s a gamble but it seems to be working now. My guess if IF they can get EE at 3 years 60-70 million it would be a done deal.
No no no I’d take Edwin in Toronto over Bautista any day Bautista will be 37 at the beginning of the 2017 playoffs they shouldn’t waste their time on him
Why can’t the jays just sign Edwin and trade Morales at the deadline
If a team wanted Morales they could have signed him. I don’t see many teams lining up at the deadline to take him on.
The point I’m making is they can make room for him if they want him
Why not sign and keep both. Formidable 3 and 4 spot, with Smoky platooning at 1st with ee. My point is with the sox rotation, we need all the clout we can muster.
But they aren’t gonna get full value back trading Morales. I mean yeah, they can make room, but how much of Morales contract are you will to eat and not get a return?
Redundancy?
Bad faith with FA would be the main detriment. Jays already struggle to attract most good FA and dealing a guy who they just signed half a season into his 1st year of his 3 year deal for no real reason would raise questions to future FA.
I agree. It definitely would not look good if they traded Morales.
Rangers!
The jays need outfielders with some speed can’t rely on pure power as it hasn’t got us to World Series. But edwing I think could play at first full time he’s been starting more and more each year
Stupid question:
Why can’t a team with a protected pick sign a qualifying offer free agent and the. trade to another team who would lose a pick if they signed him. I get they wouldn’t get anything good but it would be better than nothing right?
Pretty sure the rules forbid a team from immediately trading a FA
I just found this on MLB:
“Teams can’t normally trade a newly signed free agent until after June 15 of the following season, unless the player gives written consent”.
This article talks about your idea:
mlb.mlb.com/news/print.jsp?ymd=20090218&conte…
There are rules about trading a recently trade free agent. I am not sure of when he may be traded but I am sure it is at least until the start of spring training
It’s actually not until mid-season.
MLB expressly forbids sign-and-trade agreements.
I believe that is a loop hole in the system. Unless it was changed in this CBA. I remember the first year for QO’s that there was chatter of a 2 teams and a tagged player talking about a handshake agreement to do just that. There was a big discussion on MLB Network Radio about it. So unless it had been addressed, it is still a loop hole.
Memory tells me Michael Bourn was the player and the Cardinals were one of the teams. I could be victim of foggy memory though. Lol
I hope Boston isn’t one wasting time now on Holland. if they have 4.5m to spend still on the BP, they should have given it to Koji who probably would have been more than glad to have came back yet again.
Agreed. The Red Sox could use at least another arm down there, and Koji would have been good, in my opinion. It seems like they’re relying on Thornburg to continue what he did last year, as well as Carson Smith coming off injury, and Joe Kelly and Matt Barnes after their conversion to the bullpen. Koji gets lefties out, and obviously can pitch in high leverage situations. Would have been useful. I assume they’ll end up making a move for a reliever during the season
Thornburg is murder on lefties. He’s better than a LOOGY against them.
Obviously Thornburg was really good last year. I meant in addition to him
So Joey Bats isn’t getting his 20m a year or whatever he wanted? SHOCKED I am
Bautista will not get more then 13 to 15m for one year now!!!
do you really think teams will give up a draft pick for a one year signing? or do you think he will be willing to sign with a non-contending team (which has a protected pick)?
I mean wt the jays!!!
I’d like to see the Phillies sign him 4/45, but I doubt he would take that offer.
He wanted 25-30 million per.
I see the Cardinals as the best fit for Encarnacion. At which point, Carpenter can be moved back to his natural position, and then Gyrko Peralta and Adams all become expendable. Each of those guys can be used as trade bait for other areas of need. As for Bautista, I can see him signing a short term deal with the A’s to rebuild stock, at which point Billy Beane can flip him at the deadline for prospects. If he doesn’t produce, the no harm no foul.
I doubt Joey Bautista will look to the Coliseum in Oakland as a place to build value. He’ll need a smaller ballpark to build his numbers.
Do not trade Gyrko. I am often surprised when people propose moving him.
Except Peralta and Adams have next to zero trade value, so not really much “bait.”
I can see San Diego and the Angels as teams that would be interested in Wood as a starter.
I say Joey stays put; Ed follow his body and the Jays get Holland Revere, than trade for Robertson !!!
Revere LF
Donaldson 3B
Bautista RF
Edwin 1B
Morales DH
Tulowitzki SS
Martin C
Pillar CF
Travis 2B
Biagini MR
Grilli SU
Robertson SU
Osuna SU
Holland (CL)
Let’s Gooooo !!!!!!!
wishful thinking
I say lay off the hash pipe.
Holland as the closer, rather than Osuna…lol thanks for making me laugh!
And the Jays trade whom for Robertson? He isn’t going for free, especially if the Eaton deal is a sign that the Sox are really doing their best to get max value for anyone they are trading.
There is no way both re-sign. Jose has shown he can’t play RF anymore. He is likely to play 1B/DH if he comes back.
Osuna will close until they decide to make him a starter.
Would be nice if the Marlins could add 1 of Nova/Hammel, preferably Nova. We’ve heard almost nothing about the SP market. Guess its b/c the bullpen was a deeper market, and/or possibly b/c there are still a couple of trade options out there
Edwin Encarnacion- Seattle Mariners.
I’m hoping for the this. But what would their defense be like with Cruz and Encarnacion on the roster? One of the two would have to play in the field.
Cruz is a DH, EE would play first.
I could be off here, but after trading for Vogelbach, don’t you think Seattle would like to give him at least some type of chance to play?
I just don’t see Trumbo as a fit for St. Louis. EE is possible, if his market shrinks to the point where he’ll accept a 1-2 year contract
If the Marlins can sign Travis Wood, Colby Lewis or Doug Fister, and maybe a Mark Reynolds type player, I believe they can be 86-89 Win ball club
The Rockies should sign Wieters and then trade one of their young catchers to the Braves for Vizzy and a mid level prospect.
Bautista should have took the QO. He over estimated himself.