Despite a tough 2020, Edwin Encarnacion is looking to return next year for his 17th Major League season, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). Encarnacion is on the free agent market after the White Sox declined their $12MM club option on his services.
Signed to a one-year, $12MM deal (with that 2021 option) last winter, Encarnacion struggled in Chicago, hitting only .157/.250/.377 with 10 home runs over 181 plate appearances and posting some ugly Statcast metrics. Encarnacion’s continued production throughout his 30s has already been remarkable and he would hardly be the only slugger to hit a wall in his age-37 season, though there is some reason to believe that a turn-around is possible. As Heyman notes, Encarnacion is a traditional slow starter, so the shortened season didn’t allow him time to ever really get on track.
With 424 career homers and a long track record of performance prior to 2020, Encarnacion is sure to get some attention on the open market. However, his chances of landing another deal would greatly improve if the National League adopts the designated hitter again in 2021. Encarnacion was deployed exclusively as a DH last season and has mostly worked only as a part-time first baseman in the last few years, so it remains to be seen if an NL team would entrust Encarnacion with a regular (or even semi-regular) first base gig without the luxury of a DH spot to keep him fresh.
Orioles.
Best me to it!! Only if they dump Davis
He’s got $76 mil guaranteed left on his contract whether he is on the team or not. Hard to justify cutting him unless there is no other option for the next 2 season.
That $76 million is a sunk cost. It should not come into their decision making. It’s hard to justify keeping him on the team regardless of whether they currently have another option at 1B or not.
Exactly, sunk cost. There was nothing wrong with waiting it out some on a rebuilding team to see if he could try to turn it around. Dude has had a long time though. It’s not happening. Just bite the bullet and audition guys there who somehow may help you in the future.
Sure, it makes sense to release Chris Davis and audition younger players instead. But not to add to their payroll by replacing him with EE.
It’s the Os. They don’t know what that means.
They should dump Davis.
Dang, he might be sitting next to Harold Baines in Hall of Fame.
76 bombs to go.
That’s exactly what I was thinking, man!
Probably take 3 more seasons (I’d guess at least 2 & a partial). Seemed like a given last winter. Not so sure, anymore.
McGriff had 493 homer runs along with 1550 rbis. He’s not in.
Well, he probably should be, uh?
Andruw Jones (speaking of former Braves) is an interesting case, too.
400+ HR’s, almost 1300 rbi, 150+ stolen bases, & 10(!) Gold Gloves.
To me, that’s HOF. But the counting stats are all just a tick or two below an automatic induction.
Andruw Jones should in the HOF (or at least be getting more votes), IMHO. Not enough value is given to defense, especially sustained high-level defense across many seasons.
The fact that edgar Martinez and baines are in but andruw Jones and lance Berkman are not kind of blows my mind
I’ve never cared for the “because player X is in Player Y should be”.
Ya know?
That being said…*right*!? Good gravy.
We’ll see how Jones does. After 3 years on the ballot he’s at almost 20%. (just looked it up lol)
I’d be hard pressed to name a centerfielder – aside from Griffey – that I saw whom was better. Jones just got so bad so quickly. His drop off was precipitous. I think that may unduly hurt his chances.
Well said Oddvark. Scott Rolen and Andruw Jones should get more recognition. Jones was the best centerfielder in the league early in his career. It’s a shame his conditioning seemed to speed his fall. Rolen was hurt so often but he produced whenever he played. Hopefully they both get further bumps in voting with the weak class this year and some of the remaining vote getters having asterisks. Would hate to see them in the class of robberies like Whitaker and Grich.
A magnificent player.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4S3jCCck1w
The Crime Dog is HOF in my heart. His stats are even more impressive when you consider he stood 20 miles from the plate.
McGriff’s case is one I think we will see mirrored in the future. Without the strike, does he get to 500 hr and get in? Without a pandemic shortened season, what players might have just missed on counting stats?
Also, Tommy Emanski commercials!!! That’s enough by itself in my book. I believe those videos produced back to back to back champions.
If you are a fangraphs guy Mr Jaffe over there has written some articles on the exact thing you’re pointing. He throws in War Time, as well.
Thanks Ducky, I’ll check it out. As a Brave fan Jones is a given for me. Growing up around Phillies fans made me like Rolen because they seemed to hate him so much.
As a Yankee fan, I remember Jones very clearly from the beginning & the end of his career.
Remember that baby faced kid swatting home runs in the ’96 series? He hit one in his first AB, I’m pretty sure. Saw him with the Yanks, too. That svelte, swaggering, slugging centerfielder was pretty much gone by then, man. Could still hammer the snot out of the ball though, serious.
I’d forgotten about the strike and it’s effect on McGriff. He talked about “just” hitting five home runs a month (he made it sound so easy lol) & you’d have a good season. Can’t help but think he’d’ve made it.
Ya know, I also wonder how a player that hit 499 home runs would be viewed. I’d like to kinda see how hard of a line that 500 actually is.
He is in my heart. His stats are even more impressive when you consider he stood 20 miles from the plate.
McGriff’s case is one I think we will see mirrored in the future. Without the strike, does he get to 500 hr and get in? Without a pandemic shortened season, what players might have just missed on counting stats?
Also, Tommy Emanski commercials!!! That’s enough by itself in my book. I believe those videos produced back to back to back champions.
Crushed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctx8IEuu9tc
The sound of it, man.
Mercy. Got alla that one.
Toronto should consider him. Good dh can still handle 1st. Might help out vlad.
I love Edwin but the Jays have enough Designated Hitters on the squad.
Welcome back on the Jays any time. Would love to make up for the Kendrys Morales fiasco so thoughtfully orchestrated by Shatkins
Someone will take a flyer on him, but he looked cooked for the Yankees in the playoffs going 1-18 and he followed that up by hitting .157 this year. Unless you flat out make a mistake to him he hasn’t been hitting.
…but it takes two to tango.
He has always been a terribly slow starter. I bet he turned it on the last gew weeks of the season
.137 with 4 homers in September/October. After hitting .197 in August.
Rangers could be a potential landing spot. That team needs a vet and Edwin fits the bill. Seattle too. Perhaps the Minnesota Twins if they can’t strike a deal with Cruz.
Tribe reunion to fill Santana’s shoes.
Royals would be a good match and they want a high obp guy
Cheap offense. Rangers, Royals, Twins (if they don’t re-sign Cruz), Indians, all could use the pop at the right price.
His bat absolutely lost a step last year. He is done. He was compensating by guessing fastball and swinging hard on everything and pulling everything. No ability to go Opo. You don’t want him.
His 1st base had limited range with the Ms. He did catch it if it was thrown at him…reaching, not a lot of that…