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The Atlanta Braves have entered the Yasmany Tomas sweepstakes as a dark horse.
The Braves are slated to watch Tomas and his exploits in coming days, according to sources.
They join a big field eyeing the free-agent Cuban slugger. The Phillies, Padres and Giants have been seen as the most aggressive pursuers of the outfielder/third baseman, but there's been a lot of talk about a mystery team winning his services in recent days.
The Braves could qualify as a surprise team, but they recently made room in the outfield by trading Jason Heyward. They also have been in trade talks involving outfielders Justin Upton and Evan Gattis, but new Braves president of baseball operations John Hart has long loved power hitters, as folks may recall from his Cleveland and Texas days.
The Royals are one of many others that have scouted Tomas recently, too.
Tomas, 24, is looking to beat Rusney Castillo's record $72.5 million signing by the Red Sox.
Tomas could wait until the Winter Meetings before he signs. It was reported here Thursday that Tomas has obtained a **** and could talk face-to-face with teams at the league-wide event that begins Dec. 8 in San Diego.Comment -
Red Sox offering Pablo Sandoval 5 years and $95M. His agent wants a 6 year deal. Silly money.Comment -
Pirates got some international signing, spending money in return for Ike to the A'sComment -
It appears that Hanley Ramirez is headed to Boston and it's likely that Pablo Sandoval will be joining him.
Boston's opening up the check book...Comment -
Panda looks older, and if he doesn't control his weight it will take more and more of a toll on him as he ages. I would still stay far away.Comment -
Sox get Panda and Hanley. Thats 50+ Homers right there.Comment -
Yeah, they're in a very nice position right now.
I hope Boston included a nutritionist along with all that money.
I agree. I expect them both to put up some big numbers for the Red Sox. They'll likely enjoy hitting in Fenway.Comment -
Report: Cubs make substantial offer to Lester
The Cubs have reportedly extended a six-year offer to Jon Lester that is worth an amount “north of” $135 million, according to CSNChicago.com’s David Kaplan.
The Cubs’ reported offer exceeds the current six-year offer from the Red Sox that is believed to be in the $110-120 million range. It was reported earlier in the day that Lester could ultimately strike a deal with an average annual value exceeding $25 million. This latest news suggests that’s certainly a possibility as the market for Lester begins to really heat up.
Lester is expected to meet with the Cardinals and Giants at some point next week, while the Braves also remain interested in the left-hander. All three teams, in addition to the Cubs and Red Sox, could use another top-end starter. The Cardinals could use Lester to off-set the loss of Shelby Miller, while the Giants’ rotation remains extremely unclear behind ace Madison Bumgarner and the Braves continue to try and bolster their rotation.
The Cubs certainly remain a front-runner in the Lester sweepstakes and extending an offer such as this one could put some pressure on the other teams in pursuitComment -
Mariners pursuing trade for big-name outfielder
The Mariners are reportedly in trade talks for a number of top-end, right-handed outfielders, including Matt Kemp, Yoenis Cespedes and Justin Upton, according to FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi.
Seattle has expressed interest in both Kemp and Upton in the past, while the Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders that has led to speculation that Cespedes could be available this offseason. The Red Sox could be interested in Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma, though it’s unclear whether or not Seattle would be willing to part with Iwakuma in a potential Cespedes deal.
As for Upton, many expect the Braves to move him this offseason after trading away fellow outfielder Jason Heyward to the Cardinals earlier this offseason. Like Heyward, Upton is set to hit free agency following next season.
The Mariners are already on the verge of signing third baseman Kyle Seager to a seven-year, $100 million extension, just one year after signing second baseman Robinson Cano to a 10-year, $240 million contract last offseason. Their next big move could be landing one of these right-handed hitting outfielders, though it’s not clear at this point what exactly they are prepared to offer in return in any of these scenarios.Comment -
Iwakuma is a lot more valuable in my book than Cespedes.Comment -
What will Neil walker be worth with another good season?Comment -
Toronto gets Josh Donaldson from the A's for Brett Lawrie and 3 prospects. Got to like that deal if you are a Jays fan.Comment
