With less than one month until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training, there remains a plethora of high-profile free agents unsigned for the 2018 season. The list includes Los Angeles Dodgers midseason acquisition Yu Darvish, who was expected to command one of the largest contracts of the winter.
The list of suitors for Darvish is aplenty, with the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers reportedly all expressing interest in signing him at some point this offseason.
Though it took longer than expected, the sweepstakes for Darvish may be inching closer to a resolution. According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, Darvish has at least one five-year offer at hand, while the Dodgers are still believed to be in contention to sign the right-hander:
Yu Darvish has at least one five-year offer on the table, according to a source, but nothing yet has enticed him to take the plunge. It's uncertain if the years or the $$ are the hangup — or both. #Cubs, #Twins, #Rangers, #Dodgers, #Brewers are all believed to be in the mix.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) January 22, 2018
The Brewers’ interest in Darvish comes as no surprise, as the club has been actively pursuing a frontline-caliber starting pitcher to headline their rotation going forward. It was previously reported that Milwaukee extended Darvish a contract offer, so they could very well be the team that presented him with a five-year deal.
It remains to be seen how seriously involved the Dodgers are in retaining Darvish. The club has prioritized remaining under the $197 million luxury tax threshold for the 2018 season, and any potential signing would hinder their efforts in doing so.
Los Angeles could pave the way for a potential reunion with Darvish should they unload further significant salary from the payroll.
