Lest we forget, there are a number of established big-leaguers who went unsigned this winter and are still available to MLB teams. And while there aren’t any Dallas Keuchels or Craig Kimbrels out there, teams could still find some value in free agency. Undoubtedly, the biggest name still on the market is 29-year-old outfielder Yasiel Puig. The former Dodger, who is no longer the dynamite rookie who burst onto the scene in 2013, had some trouble securing a deal during the winter, and the delayed season means that he’ll have to spend more time without a team.
It was reported that Puig turned down a $10MM contract offer from a National League team during the offseason, and the consensus is that it was the Marlins who made that offer. But Puig said in an interview with Jorge Ebro of el Nuevo Herald that there are teams besides the Marlins that have offered him a deal since then. He says that the Marlins were among the first to make an offer, adding that his price tag was higher for Miami, where his native Cuban fanbase might unreasonably expect him to go 5-for-5 every night.
Of course, with rosters currently frozen and transactions on hold, Puig won’t be able to sign until MLB has set a date for Opening Day and baseball operations are able to operate as normal. With that said, there may be enough interest that when that time comes, Puig’s extended free agency will come to an end.
We don’t know how many teams have made offers, or the identities of those teams. Many teams who entered the offseason with outfield needs have already addressed those positions, so there are relatively few good fits remaining for Puig. Still, the Giants have had their name floated as a team that could be in the market for Puig’s services and were rumored to be considering him before the stoppage. Speculatively, a rebuilding team like the Tigers might be in the mix, but there hasn’t been anything concrete to suggest that.
Puig said that he doesn’t think there will be an MLB season in 2020, but if there is, he will be on the field for a team. And if not, he’s confident he’ll be back in 2021. There’s no doubt that he brings a unique spice to the game, so we hope that he finds a way onto an MLB roster by the time baseball is back.
Nippon-Ham Fighters are among them
Yomiuri Giants
Rocket City Trash Pandas?
“Multiple teams” made “Offers”.
Yup
The Marlins and the White Sox with a league minimum. That would count as offers.
The ChiSox dont really have a spot unless theyre benching Mazara who they just traded for
Mazara is a platoon player
So? Bench Mazara. Probably happens sooner or later anyway.
More than one!
Can’t believe that?
Yup. He’s a Major League Baseball player.
Trying to feel a little better Puig
Good gracious, I hope that whoever makes the final decision on whether or not we get baseball this year is more optimistic than Puig.
That’ll ultimately be up to COVID-19 and the combined efforts of humanity.
Which doesn’t bode well for baseball in 2020.
If they won’t say which team made the $10m offer then it’s fake news.
M I A M I
M A R L I N S
You continue to use ‘ fake news ‘ BS smh
Some might define any rumor as fake news. It’s hardly the norm for teams to post their free agent contract offers publicly.
The Marlins Cuban fan base would love him. They wouldn’t expect him to go 5 for 5 every night. He just wants to play meaningful innings but he’s gonna be a FA for awhile if he wants to get paid AND play meaningful innings
But will the Cuban fan base in Miami go to see him?
Or will anybody in Miami go and watch him play?
I
right now he wishes he took that $10 million offer instead of sitting at home making nothing. No contract will come close to the original 410 million so marlins should go $5 million and see if he bites.
I’d offer him 2.5 million. He’s honestly just not that good. He’s not awful, but it’s not difficult to find a guy capable of doing what he does.
He just comes with so much extra headache.
Do you have a bill plascke who loves to run borderline racist articles in the LA times just to get a rise out of guys
Well then Puig won’t have to deal with what he had in LA that “ruined his reputation”. You’ve probably never seen a single inning of Puigs, nor do you know how much a positive he is in the community when he’s signed.
Make your own opinions for once my god. He’s a VERY giving person
It’s entirely possible to be a “giving” person while also being difficult. They’re not mutually exclusive.
He has flipped off an opposing crowd, which isn’t something a columnist fabricated.
He has had run ins with teammates, opposing players, and his own manager in LA (who coincidentally now manages the Marlins) on multiple occasions.
He might be a great guy off the field, I don’t know. I don’t personally know him. I think most people are looking at stats, and what he does on the field though. If you’re signing a guy that’s what you’re paying for.
The guy is an idiot! When your own agent fires you it just means you have deep seeded behavioral issues. I wouldn’t want him on my team
Quarantine got people tight!!
Oh boo hoo he flipped off a troll in the crowd who was probably saying a lot worse than F U. A dope like that probably appreciated it.
@Commonsenseslapsyou Dude, you are clearly using two accounts and giving yourself two thumbs up. Get a life.
10 / 10
Jek, that move was patented by two people: xabial and mo4ever.
Only for him to be traded. The Marlins are probably the only team to sign a guy to a deal and trade him in july. Puig would be no different. All 1 year deals with the marlins should be 3 and half months because it’s almost a guarantee they will be traded.
Then why hasn’t he signed he’s so full of it
Read the article. Report back.
I don’t read anything
Can’t believe there isn’t at least one MLB team that could use Puig.
He’s more of a pain then he produces. He’ll ultimately sign but for far less than 10 million. He’s an enigma. Flashes of greatness but a knucklehead. What could have been but he just could never make the commitment or adjustments.
I expect Austin Jackson to get a deal before Puig.
While there are mixed opinions about why Puig isn’t under contract, we can all agree on the fact that it shows that teams don’t think too highly of his services. We can all agree that the stuff between his ears is why he fails to achieve his potential, and that is what teams don’t want.
I hope the Rangers are one of those teams. He’s a right-handed hitter (which this team desperately needs), and if you just sign him up for 1 year you could release him after that. If we could finally let Gallo play center field instead of Santana, I’d like that. Let Puig play right, and Santana could be a utility infielder, (with Calhoun in left). If the team does bad he could also be used as a trade piece. But most importantly, he will be a good clubhouse leader!
A leader you say? Funny.
Yet another moron who bases his opinions of puig solely based on 3 white mens opinions in LA… half a decade ago
Look at yourself in the mirror
So, to summarize:
“Anyone who doesn’t like Puig is a racist!!”
Do you realize how ignorant you come across to the majority of us here?
The only one that needs to look in the mirror is YOU. Everything isn’t about race or color, but when your life is predicated on being morally superior and throwing around claims of racism to anyone with a different opinion, you start to see things as such. Wake TF up.
Puig got the Jackie Robinson treatment when he came from Cuba, but wasn’t mentally mature to handle it. I think it’s one of the main reasons he never reached his full potential, he was just never embraced and loved by teammates and opponents. He was instead misunderstood and mistreated. What you saw in his first few months was him, and then people took it wrong and turned on him. St Louis and Arizona really started it
No one gave Puig the “Jackie Robinson treatment“. What a ridiculous thing to say. Dodgers fans loved him when he first came up and constantly cheered for him until the lipstick came off of the pig. You know you have done more than worn out your welcome when your team puts you on irrevocable waivers where any MLB team could have had him free and clear during his age 26-27 season just for taking on his salary. Not one team bit. This is much more than being misunderstood or much more than teams not embracing his personality. He has the ”AB gene” (Antonio Brown) and regardless of his talent, that can be tough to live with during a 162 game season. There’s still time for him to change and find a long term home, but he needs to understand his own deficiencies as a player, teammate, human being, and be willing to work on them. If not, then it will be a series of 1 year deals until his talent wanes and then he’s off to Japan.
I watched what Puig during what I recall was his last night in Cincy; dude couldn’t control himself and re-ignited an on field brawl after it had calmed down. You could just see this man-baby working himself up to the point where he was no longer in control.
What team would want this character on their team?
“White mens”?
Nobody wants him when it doesn’t cost a player. Trade bait you say?
I would love to see Puig in Miami someday. Maybe when Monte, Sanchez, and Brinson/Ramirez are starters, Puig can be the 4th OF.
Clown
Clown you are- yoda
There will be a season. Tired of the negativity .. puig.. we don’t need your antics in the game
There’s no guarantee there will be one, unfortunately. I want bb back yesterday, but as of this current date, anything can happen.
If you had money to buy Puig, just use that money to retain all employees and donate. Keep your employees and make them feel valued and work hard.
His price tag for Miami is higher because his “native Cubans would expect him to go 5 for 5 every night”… ? Uh… what?! If anything, I think they’d love him regardless, and be more understanding if he went 0 for 5. And who sets a higher price tag for a small market team?
Just call a spade a spade, Yasiel. Either say you don’t want to play in Miami, or the money wasn’t enough. The spin makes him sound clueless.
“Just call a spade a spade, Yasiel. Either say you don’t want to play in Miami, or the money wasn’t enough. The spin makes him sound clueless.”
Can’t disagree. His comment about wanting a premium from the Marlins was a real head-scratcher. Can only imagine there was some spin going on. Plus I think $10MM is a premium for him at this point. If I were him I’d take the money and run. I don’t know what he was thinking.
He is a mess and not worth ruining the club house chemistry. If some team offered 10 million and he turned it down, that’s a huge egotistical mistake. Take a hike and get out of MLB. Your talents are not worth the headache you bring.
what headaches does he bring? what club house chemistry did he ruin? your opinion sounds based on racism instead of facts, buddy
Why are people so quick to play the race card? Couldn’t it be that they just find Puig annoying?
What racism?
How do you figure racism?
Exactly.
I’m a Reds fan, and I liked Puig.
me too, I wish him well!
Yep he was great in Cincy. Went to about a dozen games last year and he was always great with fans and teammates. And he did a ton of work in the community.
He was okay in Cleveland too and he’s got quite an arm
Detroit
I don’t care where he goes, as long as it isn’t the Braves. The bat licking makes me want to puke.
The same for me.
So, you had to be paid more to play in front of your loyal fans?
Oh MaH gAwd tHe OnLy rEASOn pUiG hASnT sIgNeD iS RaCiSm!?!?!
I can’t meet the expectations of fans so I should be paid more. That was his reason for not signing in Miami. That made me lol
The Astros could use an enforcer this season…lol?
His production is nothing special so I wouldn’t want him on my team. The antics aren’t worth average at best numbers.
Multiple offers for Puig is something I believe. I also believe the offers were below what he and his agent felt he was worth. I’m sure 2-year deals were offered and even 3-year deals below what he thought he could command. There are some teams out there needing a corner OF. Puig might think he’s worth $40-mil for 3 or $50+ for 4.
If a team wants Puig in small doses they won’t offer a longterm deal. But finding out various teams were interested is not a stretch.
His days of helping his team are over-hes a cancer
I wanted Cleveland to keep him. I think he irritated Francona. And of course we have 12 AAAA outfielders.
Major league ones?
Multiple teams have made offers… Puig is justing waiting for the first offer that guarantees him a roster spot.
It would be a brilliant move by an owner in the Japanese baseball league (NPB) to sign Puig and then to broadcast their games in America. He would be the highest profile player to go to Japan in a very long time (given his age and where he is in his career path) and with the MLB season in jeopardy, they could market the hell out of their product in America, highlighting the former MLB players in Japan (led by Puig of course). Only question is whether or not an owner would pay such a high salary for a one year deal during a season where most games will be played in an empty stadium. A television deal with an American network would certainly help their cause. With the MLB season looking like it won’t start for a long time (if at all), I’d love to watch ANY professional baseball and Japan has the best outside of the US. Perhaps Puig can help save baseball this year…who would have thought 😉
NL teams will need a DH. Puig will be popular
very good point there actually
Long Island Ducks
Detroit Tigers have the biggest OF need in baseball followed by the Orioles.
Giants signed Hunter Pence so I dont see a fit there necessarily.
Of contending teams, or teams hoping to contend, I’d say the White Sox and Indians would benefit most from his addition.
I’m a Giants fan, and I hate to say it but I would take Puig over a aging Hunter Pence and a not so healthy Alex Dickerson, Jaylin Davis is unproven, and Duggar seems to be a bust Puig would do well with Billy Hamilton and Yas. Plus it will add some much needed right handed pop to that lineup, plus Hamilton would cover a lot of ground in that outfield so u can take a chance on Puig., this everyday lineup can at battle for a wild card spot, plus he would love the upset the Dodgers in a playoffs series.
1. Yas LF
2 Posey C
3 Puig RF
4 Belt 1B
5 Longo 3B
6 Flores Or Dubon 2B
7 Crawford SS
8 Hamilton CF
Trust they would compeat for a wild card..
How could a tired, aging, lineup of veterans (Longo, Crawford, Posey, Belt, Hamilton), possibly amass more wins than the rockies, padres, diamondbacks, and dodgers? I think you are looking at this team as if it was 2014
C’mon man, set a date already! I got hairy legs! CORNPOP!
He was okay in Cleveland too and he’s got quite an arm
This ridiculous rush back to so-called normal life is froth with unintended consequences – to say nothing of the obvious ones.
But I guess I should expect no less from masses of Americans who loved ACA but hated Obamacare – not realizing they are one in the same.
No politics. Baseball only.
St. Paul Saints offered him $20 and a case of hair dye.
Yea, right dude…..
My Astros should sign him. We need somebody who can fight.
Definitely a head case, but if gets his head out of his ass, could be a producer for some team.