Now that Yoenis Cespedes remains the top name available in free agency, it's time to speculate where he might land before the 2016 MLB season. The latest rumors suggest a few clubs could be in the running for the slugger.
Earlier today Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, who reported the Detroit Tigers signing Justin Upton, said the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros could now "turn their attention" to Cespedes since they both expressed interest in Upton.
He also noted the Astros, Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox "preferred" signing Upton to a short-team deal, indicating they may not have the resources, or simply may not want to sign Cespedes long-term. Those clubs also said they're likely done spending big bucks, just like the Tigers did before they paid Upton $132.75 million.
The MLB offseason is a game of Texas hold'em and executives rarely reveal their hand. That could be the case with Cespedes, as those potentially interested clubs may want to see if his price drops as they continue to stand their ground when talking to reporters about signing expensive free agents.
Let's take a look at each of the aforementioned teams and see really how aggressive they might be in pursuing an outfielder such as Cespedes.
Nationals
Washington reportedly offered a $200 million contract to Jason Heyward before he ultimately signed with the Chicago Cubs. They instead acquired outfielder Ben Revere in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, but they might still be concerned about their situation in left field.
Jayson Werth was severely limited in 2015 due to injuries and he'll be a free agent after 2017. It'd be hard again for the team to rely on his health, since he's played 147 games or more just twice during his five-year tenure in Washington. If the Nats were expressing interest in Upton, then Cespedes could certainly be next. Rumors have suggested in the past that the Nats could make a run at the slugger and steal two of the Mets' biggest free agents.
Maybe they can find an AL trade partner for Werth since he'd probably be more useful as a DH and be at less risk for injury.
The Nats have the money to spend, so this scenario is something to keep an eye on.
*FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal says the Nats would be open to signing Cespedes if his price drops.
Astros
Houston is serious about contending, as their young core propelled them to within one game of an ALCS berth. They lack a premier veteran talent in their lineup, which is where Cespedes comes in.
We wrote earlier today that it's unlikely Cespedes signs a short-term deal. If that's the case, whether they say so or not, the Astros can afford to add a big contract to their payroll. They have just $73 million committed to their payroll right now and that number is expected to reach $90 million once they settle salaries with their arbitration-eligible players. They could potentially have over $50 million come off the books after the 2016 season as well, which certainly gives them the flexibility to add a lucrative long-term contract.
The only problem is that their outfield is crowded. The presence of Carlos Gomez, George Springer, Colby Rasmus, Jake Marisnick and Preston Tucker create a bit of a complicated situation. Then again, general manager Jeff Luhnow could trade from that strength and address other aspects of the roster to make room for Cespedes.
Rumors over the weekend suggested the Astros were considering Cespedes, but a conflicting report regarding that notion surfaced yesterday. However, as we've seen this offseason, nothing is definitive until all is said and done.
Rangers
Texas has been lurking in the shadows for most of the offseason. They've been loosely mentioned in rumors regarding some big free agents, but they have yet to make a big signing. Was general manager Jon Daniels waiting for this moment to strike?
Who knows. The team's roster is pretty much set for 2016, but left field could still use an upgrade despite the presence of Josh Hamilton. The Angels will be paying an overwhelming majority of his salary until he hits free agency after 2017, so it wouldn't really be a big deal if Texas added Cespedes.
Hamilton has played in only 139 games over the past two seasons and his health cannot be relied on. He also had another run-in with his addiction issues, for which the Rangers seem to back him wholeheartedly, but what if that occurs again and he needs to seek help? I know it's a touchy subject, but the former MVP has clearly struggled with that in the past.
The Ranges' payroll could reach $150 million, so they'll still have some room to add another long-term deal. This team was one win away from the ALCS and they'll need to prepare for the potential departures of Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland next year.
White Sox
Chicago has been on the periphery in terms of spending big. They haven't spent this offseason, but they did go out and trade for Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie as they hope to compete in the AL Central after another disappointing season.
Cespedes, Upton and Alex Gordon have been linked to them in previous rumors, but now only Cespedes remains. The team is reportedly open to trading Avisail Garcia in order to upgrade the outfield. Again, they're said to be only open to a short-term deal, but that simply may not be in the cards.
With the Tigers, Royals, Twins and Indians set to build off/improve from their 2015 campaigns, the White Sox might not be able to afford to worry about money. Their payroll could reach $120 million in 2016. They could structure a long-term deal with Cespedes in order to keep that number at bay since they have a good amount of money coming off the books after 2016 and 2017.
Chicago may not be able to afford a fourth consecutive losing campaign or else the jobs of manager Robin Ventura and general manager Rick Hahn could be in serious danger. Adding Cespedes would give the White Sox a formidable trio of power hitters as he'll join Frazier and Jose Abreu.
Such a move would inject further competition in the AL Central. The White Sox may have to make it happen in order to keep pace with the rest of the division.
