The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be the most aggressive team to pursue Tampa Bay Rays ace pitcher David Price, who's entering the final year of his current deal.
The Dodgers, who already locked in Cy Young Award winners Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke to lucrative, multi-year deals, are reportedly willing to commit to another big money contract in an attempt to further solidify their pitching rotation.
According to ESPB Baseball insider Buster Olney, the recently crowned World Series champion Boston Red Sox, as well as the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners, have all shown interest in trading for an elite pitcher like Price, but the Dodgers are expected to work the hardest this winter for a shot at another reliable hurler on the mound.
"The Dodgers already have two former Cy Young award winners in Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in their starting rotation, the addition of Price would give them a third and potentially the best starting rotation in baseball," SB Nation baseball writer Connor Moylan stated in his latest report.
Rangers Set To Present Qualifying Offer For Nelson Cruz
Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers are apparently still very much interested in locking in Nelson Cruz for at least one more year despite his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.
According to Real GM, the Rangers are likely to present Cruz a qualifying offer worth $14.1 million for 2014, but several sources indicated the slugger might reject the deal as he seeks to find a long-term deal.
Cruz, who served a 50-game suspension after allegedly taking performance-enhancing drugs taken from a clinic in South Florida, batted .266 with 27 homers and 76 RBIs last season with the Rangers.
Tigers Won't Re-sign Brayan Pena
The Detroit Tigers decided not to re-sign backup catcher Brayan Pena for the 2014 season. The 31-year-old Pena inked a one-year, $865,000 deal with the Tigers last winter to backup starting catcher Alex Avila.
Pena batted .297 with four homers and 22 RBIs during the 2013 regular season.