MLB: Houston Astros, Washington Nationals Interested in Yoenis Cespedes
The market for free agent Yoenis Cespedes is starting to heat up as he is the only remaining big-name outfielder left after the Detroit Tigers signed Justin Upton on Monday to a six-year, $132 million contract. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals are interested in signing the hard-hitting Cespedes.
According to MLB.com, the 30-year-old is looking for a six-year deal with an annual salary of around $22 million and will not sign any short-term deal. The Astros were reportedly interested in getting both Alex Gordon and Upton before they signed with the Kansas City Royals and the Tigers, respectively.
Atros have a number of outfielders signed for 2016 including Carlos Gomez, Evan Gattis, Jake Marisnick, Colby Rasmus, George Springer and Preston Tucker, per FOX Sports. The outlet noted that the Astros had to trade at least one of its outfielders to open money and a roster spot.
Gomez is the likely candidate to be dealt as he will be hitting free agency after the season and is set to earn $9 million in 2016. The team could also look to Springer, but he is still young, full of potential and is under team control for a few more years.
As for the Nationals, MLB.com noted that despite a host of outfielders, the Nationals are planning to sign Cespedes much like they did last season. Washington shocked the baseball world in 2015 when they signed Max Scherzer even though their rotation was top notch.
USA Today names six other teams that will fit the Cuban slugger. Those teams are the Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, New York Mets and Chicago White Sox.
The Angels are in need of outfield help, but owner Arte Moreno doesn't want to spend more money to avoid paying the luxury tax. The Halos could trade C.J. Wilson to free up some money and talk Cespedes into taking low money in the first two years of his deal.
Toronto could also sign Cespedes as a backup plan when Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion leave for free agency next year. The Cardinals are looking for a replacement for Jason Heyward while the Marlins have money to spend and are willing to move Christian Yelich from left field to center.
As for the Mets, they have offered a three-year deal to their former player and the White Sox are also rumored to be interested in Gordon and Upton before they got signed. Cespedes batted a .291 average with 35 home runs and 105 RBIs in 159 games with the Tigers and Mets last season, per Baseball Reference.
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