Can Cespedes Still Land In Baltimore?

Prior to re-signing slugger Chris Davis to a seven-year $161 million deal, reports indicated that the Baltimore Orioles offered a contract to free agent Yoenis Cespedes. The Baltimore Sun reported that the Orioles’ offer to Cespedes was a multi-year deal worth approximately $18 million per season.

Baltimore restaurant offers Yoenis Cespedes free crab legs for life to sign with Orioles https://t.co/eMB6LkSYMm pic.twitter.com/Jh5eYQ7BVI

— Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb) January 16, 2016

Now that the Orioles have Davis, financially speaking, the multi-year offer for Cespedes is likely no longer on the table. According to ESPN.com, Baltimore has spent more than $200 million so far this offseason. This includes new contracts signed with Chris Davis, Darren O’Day and Matt Weiters. In addition, the Orioles have money earmarked for OF-1B Mark Trumbo who was acquired in early December 2015 through a trade with the Seattle Mariners.

With this level of spending already on the books, it is highly unlikely that the Orioles can afford to bring Cespedes into the mix on a pricey multi-year contract. However, there is some belief that Cespedes could still be in play for Baltimore next season through a short-term deal. As Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun reported, if Cespedes were to sign a one-year deal with the Orioles he could then test the free agent waters again after the upcoming season.

With Davis now in the fold, it appears that the #Orioles would now only consider signing Cespedes for a deal of two years or less.

— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) January 16, 2016

Since the 2012 season, Cespedes has played for the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets. Cespedes had 35 HRs, 105 RBI, .291 AVG, and a .328 OBP during the 2015 season. He played a big role in helping the New York Mets reach the World Series.

Bringing Cespedes to Baltimore would give the Orioles a formidable offensive threat. Money might be better spent elsewhere with other pressing needs for the Orioles heading into the 2016 season.

While the new deal with Chris Davis may have squashed the possibility of a multi-year contract with Cespedes, it isn’t entirely out of the question to see the former Met in Baltimore for the 2016 season. With reports indicating that Cespedes is close to signing a new deal, the question of where he will play in 2016 should be answered in the near future.