Feb. 8: Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com tweets that the Braves can be counted among the teams that have “serious” interest in Nunez. Atlanta has something of an opening at third base, where Johan Camargo is presently projected to serve as a bridge to prospect Austin Riley.
However, there have also been multiple reports that the Braves aren’t likely to make a big splash at the hot corner; David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution recently characterized any such addition as unlikely, and FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported earlier today that the Braves would primarily be open to a one-year deal with any third base target. Given the fairly robust level of interest in the versatile Nunez, it seems unlikely that he’d command only a one-year pact.
Feb. 6: Veteran infielder Eduardo Nunez has long seemed likely to command fairly broad interest, though his market got underway only recently since he spent the early part of the offseason recovering from a knee injury (though he was able to avoid surgery). It still seems that there’s some room for development in his market, as interest continues to percolate.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, via Twitter, the Rays have joined the division-rival Red Sox and Yankees with interest. Tampa Bay, according to Rosenthal, is generally gauging the market for right-handed bats while simultaneously fielding interest in some of its presently more expensive assets, including Jake Odorizzi and Alex Colome. In theory, either or both could be traded for younger, more controllable assets while clearing some salary for a free-agent addition such as Nunez.
Nunez has been tied most closely in recent weeks to Boston (see here and here), and Rosenthal wrote again tonight that the Red Sox have shown interest in re-signing him. But he has also been connected to both New York organizations and a host of other possible destinations given his experience at third base, shortstop, second base and in left field. While Nunez doesn’t thrive at any one position and grades out below average at several, the ability to place him at multiple spots on a short-term basis holds plenty of appeal all the same. He’s also taken his offensive game to a new level in recent seasons, slashing .296/.332/.443 in 1290 plate appearances for the Twins, Giants and Red Sox dating back to the 2015 campaign.
Of course, the Mets are no longer a reasonable possibility; per John Harper of the New York Daily News, the club believed it could’ve signed Nunez for approximately the same price it paid Todd Frazier (two years and $17MM). After some internal debate, though, the club opted for Frazier’s power and glovework at the hot corner over Nunez’s superior batting average and baserunning prowess but weaker contact profile and glovework.
At 2/17, I think every team should be in on Nunez.
Why? He is not that speical. Just can play multiple positions
He’s not great in the field but he’s a good hitter considering the investment and role he plays
At the very least, he’s a great depth option. If his knee isn’t balky. Like Jkolti said, it’s getting down to the wire. If he doesn’t have a home soon, I’ll be baffled. F***ed up offseason.
That’s too much money for a guy that’s easily replaceable
He’s an Allstar
The guy is a great player but he has no reason to be fed up with anyone. 5/$25m is more than enough. I can’t blame teams for not wanting to make too long of a commitment.
Sorry, I meant $125m
Lol. I think you were right the first time. He’s probably worth about 5/$25 mil in today’s market. There is no possible way him and his agent were seeking $125 million.
He probably ment JDM but posted on the wrong article.
*meant
The Twins were the worst team in baseball when he was an all star. Doesn’t mean much. He is a decent 1 WAR utility guy and thats all. Not hard to find
So was Brock Holt. Your point?
He was the *only* AllStar for the Twins that year … and “Every team gets one”. He was selected as an AllStar for being the best on the team, not because he was actually that great.
and they’re not always they best player from the team. sometimes it’s a versatile player (such as nunez) or a player at a position that’s not filled yet.
I don’t see the need to wait until the 17th, sign him now!
Nunez will be an asset for whoever is lucky enough to land him
I’m predicting more like 2/$14MM. Red Sox want JD and Yankees are trying to stay under the tax line.
Of course wants ANY Redsox former player, following Damon n Ellsbury. How’d those in NYC after laying tons of money to entice them n now they trying to get rid of Ellsbury!
Excuse me?
English maybe?
You should look up who Nunez started his career with
Yeah, no kidding.
He forgot Babe Ruth
What?
Uhm, Nunez was a Yankee prospect and spent time on the Yankees to begin his career. Fail much?
Only thing about that is Nunez started his career with the yanks…
Agree with Pashuk. Wait….What?
Say that again?
Damn typos. I meant, ‘not any’ but meant NYY.9
Some of speak typos.
that didn’t change much
I can english good too.
Yankees dumped Nunez years ago because of his defense. He shouldn’t get more of a contract than Frazier. Yankees don’t need him. Why does everybody forget about little spark plug Ronald Torreyes. His average is up where Nunez I’d and he blows him away defensively. He’s cheap, good in clubhouse, contact hitter that can bounce around. In my opinion the Yankees already have their perfect bench guy.
Why so many teams? Something’s up.
Common sense
And while you can argue it’s collusion (which will be nearly impossible to prove now), you have to bear in mind next offseason’s free agent class and the fact that very few long term and lucrative contracts work out
Teams have finally wised up and realized that it doesn’t make any sense to pay a player for his past performance. Really, all that will matter is what he will do AFTER he signs that contract. Take a guy like Arrieta, for example…his projections probably don’t look good next year, let alone 3-4-5 years from now.
So they’re supposed to pay them for their crystal ball look into the future performance? How exactly does that work? So last years great numbers shouldn’t have anything to do with what JD Martinez gets paid this time around?
Yep. That’s exactly what they’re supposed to do.
And projections are always so accurate. I bet you win all of your fantasy leagues.
So it doesn’t make sense to pay a player for his past performance, and the system is set up so that players don’t get paid for their current performance either….how a homie supposed to get paid???? Man, love this site. People trash talk organizations like the Mets and Pirates all the time, and yet if they were running the team, they’d be just as bad, if not worse.
Maybe players should play for the love of the game. It’s all money now. Don’t change your lifestyle so much. Remember when u were a kid, high school and college player. Playing a sport that pays you more than twice your average job before making it to the big show, should bear some weight. It’s not about playing the game now it’s about how much I can get and going out on the field with little effort.
Baseball is a 10 billion dollar a year industry. And you are suggesting the players just play for fun? Okay….
“players should play for the love of the game” uhh that’s beer league softball you’re thinking of
Sorry, but this is Pollyanna nonsense.
All things being equal I’m surprised Mets chose Frazier over Nunez, I would have thought that bringing in a lead off hitter would have made more sense.
Mets have an interesting lineup with solid depth. Time to solidify the pitching staff.
I’d take Nunez over Moose to be perfectly honest.
Worth the same in fWar last year, more versatility, less years, less cash, & no draft pick comp.
Projections have Moose as the better player in ’18 but even if that’s the case is it worth the money and extra years that Moose seems to think he demands?
Nunez will get 2yrs/42 mill,from what I’m hearing from my sources
Lol. No.
get better sources
I heard 2yrs/50 million.
Also JDM is getting 10yrs/2 billion.
Haha what? Did you mean 2/22 maybe?
He’s not a 10+million dollar player.
I wish the Braves were in on this guy. 2/12 with a 500k trade kicker should be enough. Nunez and Camargo would make a pretty good platoon for third and they can also play other infield positions.
Romine plays better defense than Nunez, and was waived because he makes 2MM. We are talking about a utility player, arent we? Only the big markets can pay a utility like a starter.
Wish Rockies sign Nunez instead of Desmond. They could’ve afforded Cain, who’s an upgrade in the OF over Desmond, and we’d have Nunez on the bench as a super utility guy–a role Desmond might be better suited for at this point in his career.
I can see Nunez getting a 3 year deal around more or less 40 million but this slow market may make him take less
Brock Lesnar.
Knee injury without surgery – buyer beware.
I have never confused “making a big splash” and signing Edwin Nunez. The Braves would not be contradicting themselves.
Cause Edwin Nunez is just awful. Eduardo is much better
I feel camargo has a lot more upside than nunez. He can play most of the infield as well
Nunez was super with the Red Sox at the end of the year. The Red Sox exacerbated his injury by twice playing him too soon. This will significantly what he ultimately receives.
Nunez would be perfect for the braves. He can give several young players a day off and can hit almost anywhere in the lineup.
Nunez is not signing for 1 year. Camargo is the future utility guy AA go out and get Headley or Suarez or Castellanos and he can move to LF when Markakis leaves or when Riley is ready.
No, even if carmargo isn’t a everyday 3B and future utility guy, he and Ruiz can hold the fort down at 3B this year just as well as any other 1 year signee. Braves should hold put and let these kids gain valuable experience. The likelihood of them sinking so bad that we have to go get another 3B in a year we aren’t truly expect to complete, isn’t high. Let them get experience even if they are future bench guys or utility players.
Nunez is an adequate utility infielder, no more than that. His bats okay, but he’s not a great fielder, that’s why he’s a man without a position. He has value, but not as much as some seem to think he has. The Mets got Reyes at a home team discount, that’s why they went for Frazier instead. Nunez was never more than a fall back plan for them and they don’t need him now. The Yankees should sign the guy, their a mess at second and third, but they won’t go for two years. Poor kid I’d really stuck betwixt and between…
Never thought i would see the word “betwixt” ever again after playing the first level of Dark Souls 2!
Trade with Padres]]]]]]]]]]]]]Ruiz,Peterson,B.Wilson and I.Anderson for Headley and Renfroe.