Yoenis Cespedes Free Agent Market Taking Shape Without Detroit Tigers
By Matt Snyder
The Detroit Tigers are not among the teams reported to be involved in negotiations for free agent outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
We had previously heard a rumor that the Detroit Tigers were waiting to get involved with free agent Yoenis Cespedes, but there doesn’t seem to be anything to that report at this time. Perhaps it’s a case of his asking price not dropping like they’d hoped, but the club appears to be out on the left fielder.
Cespedes’ free agent market is beginning to heat up according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com, but the Tigers don’t appear to be one of the teams involved in the bidding.
Yoenis Cespedes market taking shape. Source: CWS & BAL emerging as leaders for now. LAA & SFG also in the mix with TX monitoring situation.
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) December 29, 2015
Sanchez’s report appears to be the first “real” rumor surrounding Cespedes’ potential landing spot this winter. Mostly what we’ve heard to-date is about how little has been going in the left field market.
Related Story: Tigers All-Time 25-Man Roster
But this confirms what many of us have been thinking: the Tigers don’t really have the room in the payroll to add another $20+ million player, and they appear to be set with a platoon-heavy approach to their 2016 outfield.
Tony Paul of the Detroit News has been saying all along that the Tigers were not going to be players for a big-name outfield bat (including Cespedes). Here’s a tweet of his from back on December 7.
Well, sorry to burst your bubble, folks. Hearing from a #Tigers source they are, in fact, NOT in on Yoenis Cespedes or Alex Gordon.
— Tony Paul | Detroit News (@TonyPaul1984) December 7, 2015
More from Detroit Jock City
- Tigers Sign Manager A.J. Hinch to Long-Term Extension
- Lions vs. Bears Week 14 Opening Odds Disrespect Detroit
- Former Tigers Celebrate Jim Leyland Hall of Fame Call
- This Pistons Team Could be the Worst in Detroit Sports History
- 4 Free Agents Tigers Should Sign During Winter Meetings
These types of reports from local writers who have contacts inside the organization apparently haven’t stopped national writers from including the Detroit Tigers among the interested parties. They (i.e. the national guys) probably have contacts from player agencies who are keen on keeping the appearance that their player is being coveted by multiple parties.