Nick Markakis return to Orioles becoming increasingly uncertain
On the same day the Orioles lost Nelson Cruz to the Mariners, it looks like an unwilligness to guarantee long-term security to outfielder Nick Markakis might lead to his departure from Baltimore.
Cruz signed a reported four-year, $57 million deal with Seattle on Monday and Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun writes that Markakis’ return to the Orioles appears increasingly unlikely:
For the first time this offseason, it appears more likely that free-agent outfielder Nick Markakis will sign elsewhere than rejoin an Orioles team he has been with since he debuted in 2006. According to multiple sources, there now looks to be less than a 50-50 chance that the 31-year-old will return to the Orioles, something that seemed to be a virtual certainty a month ago. There has been some talk within the Orioles organization that the club is no longer comfortable with a four-year deal for Markakis.
Negotiations have stalled and the rest of the league has noticed. With Markakis apparently available, teams are jumping at the opportunity to sign the veteran left-handed hitting outfielder who slashed .276/.342/.386 and won his second career Gold Glove in 2014. The Yankees, Blue Jays and Giants are said to be among those interested. Offering Markakis the four-year term Baltimore is struggling to give him might be enough to get a deal done.
Losing Markakis and Cruz would be a major shakeup for the Orioles, who won the AL East for the first time since 1997. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports is reporting that Baltimore has at least reached out to the Dodgers about Matt Kemp as a potential replacement. Los Angeles has a significant surplus in the outfield and is poised to make a some changes there. Melky Cabrera, Nori Aoki, and Torii Hunter are some of the outfielders still out on the free agent market.
A month ago the Orioles re-signing Markis seemed all but sealed. Now the two sides couldn’t appear to be any further apart. That’s the Hot Stove for you.
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