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Finding 10 possible new homes for Bautista
- Updated: December 7, 2016
Ten months ago, Jose Bautista reportedly asked the Blue Jays for a contract extension well in excess of $100 million. It didn’t happen, and after an injury-plagued year and with a qualifying offer pick hanging over his head, he’s likely to end up signing a deal for half of that or less. That might not be great news for Bautista, but it’s fantastic news for a variety of teams who now find themselves in a situation where they might actually be able to get one of baseball’s biggest sluggers. Where could he end up?
Briefly, on what Bautista is and will be headed into his age-36 season: No hitter in the Majors has more homers since 2010 than his 249. Though 2016 was Bautista’s least productive season since becoming a regular in 2009, his .234/.366/.452 (122 wRC+) line was still above average and about as valuable on an offensive basis as seasons from Carlos Correa and Mark Trumbo. That said, his once-strong throwing arm has become a weakness (average of 84.4 mph per Statcast™, among the lowest in baseball) and his defensive value is no longer positive (-8 DRS in 2016).
So what you have is an older player, best suited to at least part-time DH duty, who will cost a Draft pick, yet with a 2017 Steamer projection of .250/.371/.475 (128 wRC+) that’s still likely to make him an above-average regular. Let’s find 10 places that might make for a happy new home.
Countdown time!
Good baseball fits, poor clubhouse fits
10. ORIOLES On paper, Baltimore is a pretty good landing spot. Like Nelson Cruz and Trumbo before him, Camden Yards has been a fantastic place for righty power hitters to go in order to try and rebuild their value. With free agents Trumbo and Pedro Alvarez unsigned, there’s natural openings in right field and designated hitter, and surely the O’s wouldn’t mind taking away a bat from a division competitor. It’d be a fantastic fit, except…
Duquette: “We told (Bautista’s) agent that we are not interested because our fans don’t like him.” #Bluejays #Jays #Orioles
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness590) December 7, 2016
Duquette: “We told (Bautista’s) agent that we are not interested because our fans don’t like him.” #Bluejays #Jays #Orioles
…OK. Moving on.
9. RANGERS Speaking of rosters that could use a hitter like Bautista, the Rangers have lost Carlos Beltran, Prince Fielder, Mitch Moreland and Ian Desmond. Shin-Soo Choo is in the midst of a long-term deal, yet he’s been seriously injury-prone, so there’s playing time to be had for a righty power bat who can play first, right, and DH. With the No. 29 overall pick in the Draft, the qualifying offer wouldn’t even hurt that much. It feels like there’s a reason this might not work, though. We just can’t place a finger on it.
Right. Next!
National League teams who could carve out …
