Can Trumbo repeat ’16? Signs point to yes

Mark Trumbo hit the free-agent market coming off a career year — a dream scenario for a player, and he’s likely to cash in. Fitting since Trumbo’s entire season could be considered a dream scenario from the Orioles’ perspective after Baltimore acquired the 2016 home run champion from the Mariners for backup catcher Steve Clevenger last offseason.

In Baltimore, Trumbo finally blossomed into the prestigious power hitter scouts long dreamed he could be. Most of his free-agent value is tied into that power. Now, million-dollar questions linger: How much will teams be willing to pay for that power after Trumbo slumped in the second half? And can Trumbo repeat his monster year?

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Here are five reasons teams are willing to bet millions the answer to that last question could be “yes.”

Light-tower power: This year, Trumbo became the fourth straight Oriole to win the Majors’ home run crown. His 47 home runs weren’t just a career high, they were also the most by a right-handed hitter since Jose Bautista slugged 54 in 2010. Trumbo shattered his previous career high of 34 and more than doubled his homer total from 2015, which he split between Arizona and Seattle.

Not just a homer-homer guy: It would be easy to see Trumbo’s sudden power boost and credit his new homer-friendly home …

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