We’ve glanced in at a few areas of the player market to see what’s left after a busy first few months of the offseason. With a New Year’s freeze in effect on the news cycle, let’s do the same for the center field market.
The lack of supply sufficient to meet the demand up the middle has been evident from the time the 2019 season drew to a close. It’s still a notable factor as the calendar flips. If Shogo Akiyama and the Reds formalize their reported agreement, he’ll follow Brett Gardner off of the market and we’ll be fresh out of remaining top-50 free agents with significant experience up the middle.
We still haven’t seen especially robust chatter surrounding Starling Marte of the Pirates, perhaps in part due to the fact that the organization made a late front office change. But with two reasonably priced but not cheap seasons of control remaining, and the Bucs facing a very tough path to contention in 2020, the time feels ripe for a trade.
You’ll have a tough time finding an alternative with Marte’s ability. But there are a few creative options for teams that really want to install major piece — and are willing to pay through the nose. Whit Merrifield of the Royals and Mitch Haniger of the Mariners have seen some action up the middle, though their primary positions are elsewhere. Both figure to come with very lofty price tags, if they’re available at all.
The Red Sox remain an interesting source of center field options. With the club looking to dip under the luxury tax line, and new chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom bringing a fresh look at the entire organization, it’s conceivable that the team would discuss any player — including superstar Mookie Betts and first-year arb-eligible Andrew Benintendi. Both players have appeared primarily in the corners but are surely capable of lining up in center. They’ll also be quite difficult to pry loose.
Much more achievable is incumbent Boston center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. He’s arguably the top rental trade candidate; with a projected $11MM arb price tag, it shouldn’t take much of a return to get him. That price point may lead some interested clubs to free agency. Kevin Pillar, non-tendered by the Giants, should be available for less. While his overall defensive value has faded a bit, and his power overshadows long-standing on-base trouble, he’s about as valuable a hitter as Bradley has been in recent years.
Other, yet more expensive trade candidates include A.J. Pollock and Dexter Fowler. Both are playing on long-term contracts with multiple years remaining. Teams won’t be interested in taking over the full obligations, but that doesn’t make deals unimaginable. Both are still capable players. The former comes with greater injury risk and a bigger overall commitment. The latter hasn’t spent much time up the middle in recent years and has lagged at the plate. Pricier still is Lorenzo Cain. He’s still an elite defender but had a rough offensive season in 2019. It seems the Brewers are at least willing to consider trade scenarios, though there hasn’t been any evident traction.
There are some younger, lower-salaried conceivable trade targets. But they generally still have places on their current teams. That could change as the market resolves. It’s not impossible to imagine deals involving Kevin Kiermaier (Rays), Ender Inciarte (Braves), Manuel Margot (Padres), Albert Almora (Cubs), Mallex Smith (Mariners), or Michael A. Taylor (Nationals). But their respective teams will have to have alternative plans lined up before making moves, if they have any such intentions at all. Of those players, the glove-first Kiermaier and Inciarte are the most established. Both are under control for some time on affordable but increasingly expensive extensions. They’re each also looking to rebound from injury plagued seasons. Also of note: the Akiyama deal could free the Reds to trade Nick Senzel, though perhaps other teams would consider moving him back into the infield.
It’s awfully tough to see any remaining players on the open market as even semi-regular players on a contender. Free agent Cameron Maybin is perhaps the top option after a resurgent campaign with the bat. His deeper recent track record at the plate isn’t as promising and he’s probably not a plus glove up the middle at this stage of his career. Jon Jay, Jarrod Dyson, Billy Hamilton, Leonys Martin, Guillermo Heredia, and Juan Lagares will all be looking for bounceback opportunities in a reserve/platoon role. Some or all will likely settle for minor-league agreements. Otherwise, the market is limited to journeyman veterans like Peter Bourjos, Rajai Davis, and Carlos Gomez.
There is one other player that must be mentioned. It is unknown as yet what the Phillies plan to do with outfielder Odubel Herrera, who was suspended after a terrible domestic violence incident but remains under contract on similar terms to Inciarte. By collectively bargained rule, the Phillies cannot take further punitive measure against Herrera now that he’s reinstated. But the Philadelphia organization (and others) may not wish to put Herrera in their uniform. Teams will surely not view him solely through a baseball lens.
For the sake of my fantasy team, I hope that Marte gets traded to a contender!!
No one really cares about that
You cared enough to comment though. Thank you.
No it’s true. No one cares.
LMAO then don’t comment. Of course no one cares about my fantasy team, nor should they. Let’s be serious though ‘dynamite drop in monty,’ you have posted a lot of useless stuff on this site. We have all seen it!
no one cares about the ESPN folks fantasy teams yet they tune in to watch them draft the teams
Odd isn’t it.
Because I’m sure you care about all of the other comments on this site.
Or do you go around saying this to everyone?
As a dbacks fan. He would be perfect. We have the money and he is cheap for 2 years. 30 30 guy.
He would be great in CF for them and would also allow Ketel Marte to be the full time 2b which should be easier on his back.
But Sterling isn’t that great in CF. He needs moved back to LF
Marte is not a center fielder anymore. All of his defensive metrics took a huge dump and he’s clearly only going to get worse at this point. It’s why I don’t want the Mets trading for him.
Yes his metrics have slipped. He is still probably the best available all around OF though. He isn’t as good defensively as JBJ but destroys him offensively and on the base path. Marte will still had much more to that team even with worse defense. I don’t know who else is available via trade.
one year of bad metrics in a lousy situation… yup not a CF any more lol get real. pulls down his trade value a bit hut not enough for anyone to bat an eye at.
One year of defensive metrics are meaningless, especially when playing in PNC. I’m guessing FOs have a better understanding of what was happening with Marte.
Where can you already play fantasy?
It’s a Dynasty/Keeper league.
Oh. Makes sense
I know that he has not played a ton of CF in recent seasons, but I’d add Gerardo Parra to this list as he is still capable of playing the position.
I highly doubt the Yomiuri Giants are looking to trade him tho…
And unless you know Japanese you may want to Google “baby shark” and learn it in Japanese for when he comes to the plate.
My bad, completely missed that he signed overseas.
Parra is not a free agent so he is not part of the market. Further, if he could play center on a regular basis he would have had a nice offer to play in the States. There is a reason he has not played CF on a regular basis the past few years and that is because he is not good enough. Even the Yomiuri Giants in Japan know this.
Doesn’t get rave reviews on his defense as a CF.
Rave reviews, Ted and robbin voice.
Years ago it seems we had better Centerfielders in the game…..
Garry Maddox
Cesar Cedeno
Cesar Geronimo
Dale Murphy
Jim Edmonds
Tori Hunter
Fred Lynn
Amos Otis
Eric Davis
Devon White
Ellis Burke
Johnny Damon
Lenny Dykstra
We have good centerfielders now, they just aren’t available.
Griffey?
Never heard of him. I think he was talking about post-1930 players.
Jim Landis was the best center fielder I ever saw.
Must have had your eyes closed when the Sox played the Yankees (Mantle) or anytime you could see Mays.
Not a very impressive specific list compared to todays center fielders
Andruw Jones was better than all of the guys on this list.
Andruw Jones = most underrated player of all time
Second place, Lou Whittaker
If you think he was underrated you must not think people have heard of Bobby Abreu. Best five to seven year peek I can remember. Jones had a four to six year peek but I really mainly remember two-2.5 years of elite from Andrew.
That sure is a rambling, random and intriguing potpourri of outfielders from the last …. 45 years.
Bernie Williams
Wasn’t Kelly Leak a CF?
I give you a thumbs-up for your nod to Cesar Cedeno, one of the most under-rated players of my generation.
How many season do you have to span for all those players?
How do you exclude Ken Griffey Jr.?
It would be appropriate for the Astros to trade low for Herrera.
The Astros should trade for Herrera since they were glad they got Osuna.
Winning comment. You win 2020.
And because ethics isn’t their strong suit anyway
Jon Jay should be looking in Japan or Korea where his talents MIGHT BE warranted.
Jay would not do well in Korea. The game is different. It does not play well for guys who require big league level support just to stay on the field.
Grinders do well there.
He would suck in any league. A, AA, AAA, California Penal etc.
Kevin Pillar is solid , Maybe the Mets or Giants again
I’ll sponsor an ad on the site if you list game Ender.
Put me in, Coach.
There are a number of teams looking for LH centerfield help…one of them can probly get the Phillies to pay down the contract and take him off their hands for little more than a lottery ticket, or take on one of their bad contracts . But it’s only January 1.. desperation hasn’t set in yet.
Let’s engineer a trade that brings Cain back to KC while Whit gets to a contender. He does not deserve to continue to toil with a non-contender, and Royals fans get a reason to come to the K (defense and reunited with Salvy). Royals should get some prospects for giving up a talent with a good .contract, as opposed to Lorenzo’s underwater one.
Would love to see the Jays trade for Starling Marte. With him in center, Gurriel in left and Grichuk in right, that’s a decent OF. I think that would make the Jays a stealth wild card team.
Watch out for Marte. Defense is the first to go for OF, and he definitely started to decline last year. You are only in for 2 years — and relatively cheap — so worth getting for sure, but don’t expect a star.
At least the Jays could DH someone and get an actual CF at that point. All of the folks pointing to the Mets are killing me. We have enough corner outfielders that can pretend to play center.
Jays could probably bring Pillar back for 3 or 4 million. He is what he is at the plate and not the defensive CF he was in 2015/16. Overall though, he’s better than their in-house options.
Price and JBJ for Archer and Marte. Sox pay some portion of Price’s salary.
Red Sox don’t want to add salary
You expect the PIRATES to eat Price’s contract? Are you still drunk?
Technically the Braves could trade Ender and still be okay with Acuna in center without making another move. Acuna looked comfortable in center and looked like he got better reads there than when he played left.
“Technically the Braves could trade Ender ”
But no team wants him.
Not that the Braves are likely to trade in division but he’s better than the CF options the Mets have.
El Torito!
Phillies have already said he is on the spring roster and will have to earn his way onto the team. If he shows up in game shape ready to go he’s coming north.
John Middleton does not eat contracts.
If teams thought Betts was the answer in CF they would have made a move for him right now.
It’s not that teams don’t want Betts. It’s that the asking price has been too high.
Betts can easily play center but the Red Sox aren’t trading him unless they are blown away.
No, they want to trade him. They’ve just been expecting too much. The market for expensive rentals has dried up. They’ll probably have to give up and settle for a QO draft pick next offseason.
That’s not giving up. They just aren’t willing to trade arguably the second best player in baseball since 2015 for scraps. They have just want to get under the lux tax and they have other ways to do it. They may end up trading him at the deadline when he would be the biggest game changer available and the best chance at high return.
Quintana for Senzel?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
guys talking about how marte is finished ar CF crack me up.
I think he’s a decent cf but his defensive numbers are better in left and a team would get more value by putting him there instead of cf.
Yeah thats true.. though PNC park’s LF is about as big as the ground to cover in center though.. just with a foul line ;-)
Give’m a pair of not bad corner infielders to make him work a bit less.. on a team that isn’t tanking he’ll do much better than last year.
With his speed and generally good routes you’ll likely want him in an area with a lot of ground to cover.
What teams are in most need of a center fielder?
Pirates have had opportunities to win and have missed. Didn’t want to pay Bonds, lost, didn’t want to trade McCutchen, lost, didn’t want to trade Polanco lost, didn’t want to trade Matte lost, traded Cole lost, traded for Archer lost. They drafted and developed well but didn’t do the extra thing(s) that get mid-market teams to the playoffs/championship. If they’d traded McCutchen and Polanco they’d have had the guts to complete the rebuild right and probably would have kept Cole until now.
You must not follow the Pirates very closely.
First, Bonds and Cole were never staying in small market Pittsburgh one second longer than they had to. Both are me guys who want the spotlight of playing in a big market. Blaming the Pirates for not keeping them is laughably naive.
As for drafting and developing well, you’re mostly wrong. Even when they drafted well, like Cole & Glasnow for example, they failed to develop them properly due to making them pitch to contact guys. And other times they made bad draft decisions, like taking Alvarez over Posey, and Taillon instead of Machado. They also eschewed power hitters for contact hitters in recent drafts. And as such, have an organization with very little power at big league level and top levels of farm system.
I think the Angels should sign Chris Ianetta. VERY good catcher and a clutch hitter. Pitching: they should sign Alex Wood and trade for Robbie Ray immediately!