The MLB free agent class still has some names on the market, with Ervin Santana, Nelson Cruz, Kendrys Morales and Stephen Drew as the best left available and teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners could be interested as spring training starts to heat up around the league.
The three main players on the market all had qualifying offers given to them and the loss of a draft pick is one reason why teams have been reluctant to sign them. The Baltimore Orioles put that aside and signed Ubaldo Jimenez to a deal and now reports have come out that the team could sign Santana as well despite the fact that they both had qualifying offers on them. According to MLB.com, Jimenez signed a deal with the Orioles for four-year, $50 million and now they could look to sign Santana as well.
Jimenez was solid last season while going 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA in 32 starts for the Indians and he was great with the Rockies a few years ago before taking a step back. Jimenez joins a team that made the playoffs in 2012 and now they have a top pitcher in the rotation with Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez and Bud Norris. The Orioles could also be in the market for Morales according to the Baltimore Sun and with the players staying on the market for so long, their prices are starting to come down and while the draft compensation is tough to deal with, the O's feel that they are just a couple players away from being a division contender.
Santana had a 3.24 ERA last season and went for over 200 innings and now he is the top pitcher left on the market and after the Blue Jays were connected to him earlier in the offseason, Toronto has apparently backed off of a deal. Morales has been on the market for a while as well and he is coming off of a solid season with the Mariners and his power bat could be a nice addition to the Orioles lineup, but he too has a draft pick on him as compensation and that could be holding up teams from signing him.
Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com is reporting that the Orioles are interested in Santana and it comes as the team could have to give up a second round pick for him, making things not as rough for Baltimore. The team could use another solid arm in the rotation and Morales could be another addition, as he could cost the same second round pick if the team signed him. Morales is a switch hitter and that makes him valuable and the 30-year-old could be coming into a deal soon. The Rangers have kept tabs on Nelson Cruz and the Mariners are looking to add a bat and he could be it.
