Shortly after Alex Gordon re-signed with the Kansas City Royals, rumors began to surface regarding Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton as many believe the outfield market is starting to materialize. The Baltimore Orioles are among the many MLB teams to keep an eye on.
The O's are still working on a number of fronts. They need a starting pitcher, power hitter and outfielder. They can consolidate those endeavors by signing a power-hitting outfielder, which is something they've had in mind for a little while now. Here's the latest on that:
"The Orioles have talked for nearly a month about moving on from free-agent first baseman Chris Davis and pursuing other options," writes FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal. "They remain engaged with Davis largely due to owner Peter Angelos' fondness for the player, sources say.
"If the Orioles lose Davis, they likely would prefer Yoenis Cespedes to Justin Upton, in part because the price for Cespedes would not include the loss of a draft pick. The O's could end up with six of the top 100 selections if both Davis and Chen sign with other clubs."
FOX Sports' Jon Morosi mentioned the Orioles were "staying in contact" with Upton in the event they can't retain Davis. ESPN's Buster Olney said the team has been in talks with Cespedes' representatives. Upton rejected the Padres' qualifying offer, so he'll cost his new team a first-round pick in the 2016 draft. Cespedes was not eligible to receive the QO because he was traded in the middle of the season.
In late December, Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com said the Orioles were "emerging as leaders" for Cespedes, but that report didn't gain much traction since then. Instead, it was since reported that the O's were not ready to offer the slugger a contract.
Still, Cespedes remains a fit for Baltimore considering their need for a left fielder and a middle-of-the-order bat. The 30-year-old is looking for a six-year deal in the $150 million range, and considering the Orioles reportedly made a $150 million offer to Davis, they can probably sign Cespedes if Davis leaves in free agency.
However, Cespedes and Upton might have to wait and see what Davis does.
"According to sources close to Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton, negotiations for both players have picked up as the market becomes clearer," writes ESPN's Jim Bowden. "However, due in part to Chris Davis turning down that astronomical offer from the Orioles, agents for both players are still dragging out the process because Baltimore is a likely landing spot for one of the two outfielders if Davis signs somewhere other than Baltimore."
Stay tuned for updates as the Orioles are expected to make their bigger moves in the latter part of the offseason.
