The Baltimore Orioles reportedly offered Yoenis Cespedes a five-year contract worth between $75-$90 million, but the team re-signed Chris Davis for $161 million, which likely indicates they're no longer going after the free agent outfielder.
However, the latest rumors suggest the market for Cespedes is "intensifying" and that he could sign in "the next few days," according to ESPN's Jim Bowden. Are the New York Mets and Chicago White Sox among the top suitors?
The offer Cespedes got from the O's has been the only reported offer made to him this offseason. That's not good news for the veteran because Baltimore doesn't typically spend big in free agency, meaning there isn't much interest among the rest of the MLB in terms of signing Cespedes to a long-term deal.
That's why the Mets and White Sox could be the most likely destinations for the outfielder.
At this point, further rumors are pointing to the possibility of Cespedes signing a short-term contract in order to hit the open market after 2016 when the MLB free agent class is extremely short on premier talent. So his market could be intensifying in a way many never expected.
"Put simply: Next year, there will be more teams in need of outfield help, but fewer outfielders to go around -- the ideal market for a supremely talented player like [Justin] Upton or Cespedes," writes AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
Both New York and Chicago have been speculated landing spots for Cespedes if he were to consider a one-year deal, as both clubs don't want to handicap themselves financially down the road and are not big on dishing out enormous contracts. Additionally, both teams are seemingly built to contend in the shorter-term since they'll have some key players likely leave in free agency within the next 2-3 years.
"It has been apparent for weeks that the Mets are comfortable with Cespedes signing elsewhere; they're content with the team they've assembled," writes ESPN's Buster Olney. "But the Mets tend to react a lot to public pressure, and the pressure in New York for them to re-sign Cespedes is intensifying."
Earlier in the offseason it was reported the White Sox had been one of the frontrunners to sign him.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post also lists the Mets and White Sox among the top-five destinations for Cespedes. The two could be aggressive if the right opportunity presents itself.
The fact of the matter is that both of these clubs would arguably benefit the most in adding Cespedes on a short-term deal because another power bat would provide a marked upgrade to their lineup. Both have expressed interest, and reality could soon begin to set in for the slugger: a one-year deal could be the best option at this point if he wants that lucrative long-term contract.