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Michael Conforto is the highest free agent remaining in the marketplace and the lone qualifying supply recipient who stays unsigned. We’re now lower than two weeks from Opening Day, and it’s nonetheless troublesome to glean simply the place Conforto may signal. And, as ESPN’s Buster Olney points out, Conforto could have a tough time following the trail of another QO recipients who waited issues out and took a midseason deal. Dallas Keuchel, Kendrys Morales and Stephen Drew, as an example, all waited to signal till after the draft had handed, thus liberating them from the burden of draft-pick compensation. That tactic already triggered a participant to take a seat out two months of the season, however with the draft now pushed again to mid-July, it’s a good much less palatable strategy for Conforto to take.
There’s been some speak of a possible reunion along with his previous workforce, however Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reported yesterday night that returning to the Mets is “extraordinarily unlikely,” citing a number of sources near the state of affairs. With Starling Marte and Mark Canha becoming a member of Brandon Nimmo within the outfield, plus holdover infield/outfield bats like Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis nonetheless within the fold, at-bats for Conforto could be laborious to return by — even with the designated hitter now within the Nationwide League.
Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi, meanwhile, writes that the Blue Jays have “checked in” on Conforto, although maybe solely as a method of due diligence. The Jays have been searching for left-handed hitting to assist stability a right-leaning lineup, and yesterday’s trade with the Rockies, swapping outfielders Randal Grichuk and Raimel Tapia, was a step towards that finish. There’s arguably nonetheless a match for Conforto in Toronto, because the Jays may cycle him, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., George Springer and Teoscar Hernandez by means of the outfield and designated hitter spots within the lineup. Nonetheless, GM Ross Atkins additionally threw some chilly water on the thought of one other big-ticket addition, telling reporters yesterday that it’s “getting tougher for us to proceed so as to add from a useful resource standpoint and from a flexibility standpoint” (Twitter link by way of TSN’s Scott Mitchell).
The Guardians have been an oft-cited match for Conforto, due each to the workforce’s paltry $56MM payroll and a typically unproven mixture of outfield choices. Basic supervisor Mike Chernoff didn’t remark straight on Conforto or every other free brokers this morning, however did say in an look on MLB Community Radio on SiriusXM that the entrance workplace is prioritizing its younger gamers (Twitter link, with audio).
“One of many huge challenges for us has been, how can we ensure we’re creating alternatives for these guys and never taking alternative?” stated Chernoff. “Not simply signing a veteran man that’s going to eat into among the taking part in time that permits these guys to get their toes beneath them within the huge leagues.”
MLB Community’s Jon Heyman suggests a brand new suitor in his latest podcast (Conforto speak across the 41-minute mark), calling the Rangers maybe the likeliest workforce to leap on Conforto. Texas has already forfeited a second-round and third-round choice with a view to signal Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, that means the draft-pick value of signing Conforto could be right down to a fourth-rounder for them. That, nevertheless, would nonetheless run counter to prior reviews on the Rangers’ spending plans; Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning Information reported shortly after the lockout lifted that Texas seen Matt Olson and Clayton Kershaw (each of whom they pursued however had been unable to accumulate) as particular instances however in any other case didn’t plan to plan to spend considerably.
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