As the month of December dwindles down, a plethora of intriguing free agents remain on the market. Among the most notable include Yu Darvish, who was projected to sign one of the largest contracts of the offseason.
Darvish is arguably the best starting pitcher still available to sign and is reportedly seeking an average annual salary in the $25 million range. The right-hander has yet to gain traction much traction any club, though he may be inching closer to a decision.
Darvish concluded meetings with a trio of teams this week with two recent postseason opponents, the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros, and his former Texas Rangers club.
The Minnesota Twins, who have Darvish as their top target this winter, are also hopeful to eventually land a face-to-face meeting with the free agent, according to Darren Wolfson of KSTP:
#MNTwins hope to get a meeting soon with Darvish, I hear. No indication they've made an offer. Logically, that makes sense. Don't think you make an offer before a face-to-face. https://t.co/ypswV9Pgg6
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) December 23, 2017
The Twins have been widely linked to Darvish this offseason, though they have yet to extend him a formal offer. Senior vice president and general manager Thad Levine played a pivotal role in recruiting the 31-year-old to the Rangers in 2012, so the fit is natural for both parties.
Other clubs monitoring Darvish’s market include the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. Both organizations have prioritized shedding payroll this offseason to stay under the 2018 luxury tax threshold, but could ramp up their efforts for the four-time All-Star if his price drops over the coming weeks.
Darvish previously stated his desire to re-sign with the Dodgers earlier this offseason. General manager Farhan Zaidi revealed at the Winter Meetings that ongoing conversations with the right-hander were taking place, leaving the door open for a potential reunion.
