The outfield positions appear to be a hot commodity this offseason in the major leagues. Trade rumors are swirling around big-named players like Matt Kemp, while others are signing large contracts. Jacoby Ellsbury was the first to sign his marquee contract as the New York Yankees announce a seven-year deal for the outfielder. Next in line appears to Shin-Soo Choo and the Detroit Tigers are heavily interested.
Choo will go quickly. Now that Ellsbury is off the market, all of the other teams that had expressed interest in him will be going after the current Reds player. The New York Daily News reports the Tigers are trying to swoop in and be the first to grab Choo.
Early reports had Detroit interested in giving Ellsbury a contract. The team has money to work with after dumping two large contracts off their books. The team traded away Prince Fielder and his inflated contract. They also said goodbye to starting pitcher Doug Fister. Combined, the two moves saved the Tigers around $82 million overall. They signed Joe Nathan to a two-year, $20 million deal. Currently for the 2014 season, the Tigers owe $112.7 million to seven players under contract and will spend $32 million on arbitration. That would leave them with plenty of cash to get Choo considering their pay roll could be roughly $150 million.
Choo would be an excellent fit for the Tigers. The outfielder is a real all-around player with a big bat and good defensive numbers. In 2013, he hit .285 in Cincinnati while knocking out 21 home runs and stealing 20 bases. He is likely seeking a deal upwards of $126 million over seven years, similar to what Jayson Werth signed with the Nationals.
Right now, the Tigers have Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter in their outfield. They have Andy Dirks playing left, but Choo would be a huge upgrade both in the field and at the plate, allowing the Tigers to continue their AL Central dominance.
The Tigers have been considering giving out another large contract after they sent Fielder packing and save money from his contract. The team had reportedly spoken with Robinson Cano about a potential deal, but he never appeared to be a good fit for the team. Choo is much more realistic option and could sign before the winter meetings begin.