It’s Cyber Monday, and there are plenty of general managers looking for free agents labelled with the ‘best bang for your buck’ tag.
The off-season has been slow for baseball enthusiasts and those actively hunting on Twitter for the latest free agent scoop, but with American Thanksgiving in the rear view and the Atlanta Braves doing everything they can to open the floodgates, things should begin to pick up soon.
Here are some free agents MLB teams could look at without breaking the bank:
Moss hit 28 home runs last season and brings some pop to the left-side of the plate that would freshen up any lineup looking to add some runs.
While he is a poor fielder and would create a bit of a clog at the DH position for some American League teams, his bat might be worth the defensive downgrade in left-field or at first-base, especially for the price. A one-year contract is realistic for this power bat.
There is no doubt the former Blue Jay can hit the ball out of the park. He hit 37 homers in 2014, 47 in 2015, and 40 in 2016 for the NC Dinos in Korea. The obvious question is, how much of that can translate over to the big leagues?
With his lefty power and a combined OPS of 1.171 over the past three seasons, Thames will intrigue teams seeking offence. Signing the 30-year-old would not cost his new team a compensation pick, making the possibility even more enticing.
Pearce is a name that usually goes hand-in-hand with the word ‘platoon.’ However his versatility may be his most valuable attribute.
The 33-year-old hit .309 against left-handed pitching last year with an OPS of 1.028. The two-year, $11.5 million contract Sean Rodriguez signed last week is a good template for Pearce’s services and great value for a guy who was worth 5.9 WAR as recently as 2014.
It wasn’t long ago Greg Holland was one of the elite relievers in the American League. He had 93 saves in two all-star seasons and became one of the most feared closers in baseball. He was nearly unhittable. The right-hander struck out a combined 193 batters and walked just 38 in 129.1 innings from 2013-14.
Coming back from Tommy John surgery makes Holland more affordable and likely available on a two-year deal. If he can come anywhere remotely close to what he was before his injury, he could end up being the biggest bargain on the market this season — especially with Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen on the verge of breaking the bullpen contract record books.
