MLB Free Agency

Brett Gardner's time with the New York Yankees may not be over after all. 

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the Yankees are "clearly" Gardner's preferred destination as he explores free agency this winter. The 37-year-old has spent his entire MLB career in the Yankees organization after being selected in the third round of the 2005 draft.

New York declined a $10 million option for the 2021 season to retain Gardner, so it's likely any reunion would result in him taking a pay cut. Gardner hit .223/.354/.392 with five home runs and 15 runs batted in during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. FanGraphs' formula gave Gardner only 0.6 wins above replacement, as he saw his offensive performance take a precipitous drop.

The Yankees have been cautious throughout the offseason, seeking lower-cost deals in order to stay under the competitive balance tax. They signed Corey Kluber and traded for Jamison Tallion to shore up their pitching rotation but could use a left-handed bat to balance their righty-heavy lineup.

Gardner is more of a platoon outfielder at this point in his career, but he's a well-regarded teammate who has been a mainstay in New York. If the Yankees want someone who will be relatively low-cost and fit the bill in case of injury, Gardner should slot in—likely at around half the cost of his original 2021 salary. 

Corey Kluber will be 35 years old for the majority of the 2021 season and made just one start in 2020 because of a shoulder injury, but teams are reportedly "moving quickly" in an effort to sign him.

On Thursday, ESPN's Buster Olney reported the right-hander will "likely" sign a contract over the weekend following a successful throwing session he put on for scouts on Wednesday.

It wasn't long ago that Kluber was one of the best pitchers in the league.

The three-time All-Star won the American League Cy Young in 2014 and again in 2017 while pitching for Cleveland. In fact, he finished in the top 10 of AL Cy Young voting five straight years from 2014 through 2018.

However, durability has become a major concern of late.

He pitched just seven games in 2019 while posting a 5.80 ERA, which was a far cry from his prime as the anchor of Cleveland's staff. Then he lasted just one inning in 2020 while attempting to rediscover his form on the Texas Rangers.

It still isn't particularly surprising that teams are looking to quickly sign him.

After all, he figures to be a low-risk, high-reward addition for whichever team inks him to a deal and won't have the pressure of carrying the staff like he did in Cleveland. If he is even somewhat close to what he was just a handful of years ago, he could be a massive difference-maker at the back end of a rotation.

That upside alone makes him worth a flier.

Amid rumors that other teams are seriously pursuing free-agent second baseman DJ LeMahieu, the New York Yankees are taking a unique approach to their quest to re-sign the infielder. 

"The Yankees knew that DJ LeMahieu was a quality player and other teams will have interest in him, but there's also a level that they will go to try and bring him back," Yankees reporter Jack Curry said on YES Network (h/t Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media). "In speaking to someone from the organization recently, they said they're in a 'wait-and-see mode.'"

The 32-year-old LeMahieu enters the market off of two strong seasons in New York, where he had a 2019 worthy of a fourth-place MVP finish and won the American League batting title this year, becoming the first player in the modern era to win the award in both leagues. 

The 10-year MLB veteran, who played with the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies before joining the Yankees, hit .364 with 10 home runs, 27 RBI and 41 runs through 50 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, earning his second Silver Slugger award in as many years and finishing third in MVP voting. 

Among the teams reportedly in pursuit of the star are the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays, per Miller. 

But the Yankees have previously been outspoken about their commitment to the star. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters in December that LeMahieu was the team's "No. 1. priority to bring back this winter." 

Bob Klapisch of NJ.com reported that LeMahieu is hoping for a five-year contract worth $125 million, a report that NJ.com's Brendan Kuty added fuel to when he suggested that the player and team were separated by more than $25 million. 

On Tuesday, Miller reported LeMahieu was down to $110 million, though there was still a price gap between the two sides, with the Yankees offering $84 million over four years. 

With a slow-moving free agency that entered the new year with LeMahieu and other top free agents, including pitcher Trevor Bauer and catcher J.T. Realmuto, still unsigned, Curry said the Yankees are holding back.

Without LeMahieu, the team would have a major hole to fill in the infield. 

The Kansas City Royals "have shown interest" in veteran starting pitcher Adam Wainwright, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

However, Morosi added that the Royals "don't appear to be frontrunners" for Wainwright's signature.

Kansas City has one thing working in its favor since new manager Mike Matheny coached the three-time All-Star for seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Wainwright started his career with the Atlanta Braves but was traded to the Cardinals in 2003 as part of the J.D. Drew deal before making his MLB debut. His 326 starts for St. Louis are the fourth-most in franchise history.

It doesn't appear Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak is in a hurry to bring the 39-year-old back, though. The Athletic's Mark Saxon reported Dec. 9 that St. Louis would like to have Wainwright going forward but is also keeping a tight focus on its payroll.

According to Saxon, Wainwright is "believed to be seeking" a one-year contract that might be incentive-laden rather than guaranteeing him the biggest payout possible. If that's the case, then he'd make sense for any team with eyes on a playoff run.

The two-time Cy Young runner-up went 5-3 with a 3.15 ERA and 4.10 FIP over 10 starts in 2020. He was also 14-10 with a 4.19 ERA and 4.36 FIP in 2019. Wainwright is obviously no longer at his peak but can contribute in the middle or back end of the rotation.

The Royals are a somewhat surprising suitor since they don't seem to be a strong contender on paper. They figure to be the third-best team in their own division behind the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox. Cleveland might be able to wring another postseason run out of its current roster as well despite its efforts to cut payroll.

Kansas City has, however, signed Mike Minor and Carlos Santana. Although those weren't transformative additions, they point to a team that wishes to do more than bottom out in 2021.

A pair of utility players are headlining the free-agent market, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. 

Former San Diego Padres star Jurickson Profar and Kike Hernandez, who is coming off of a World Series championship with the Los Angeles Dodgers, are among the "more popular" free agents, Passan wrote Monday. 

Teams are reportedly interested in them for their "versatility." 

The Padres reportedly are interested in Profar returning to the organization, while the Kansas City Royals are also pursuing the 27-year-old, who turns 28 in February.

With a .278/.343/.428 slash line last season (seven home runs, six doubles), Profar's offensive abilities are what's drawing teams to the Curacao native, who can play second base, shortstop and third base. Before joining the Padres last season, Profar spent 2019 with the Oakland Athletics. He began his career with the Texas Rangers back in 2012, where he also appeared in left field, a trend that saw a resurgence with the Padres this season. 

Hernandez hit .230/.270/.410 last season, and some of his off-field qualities—playoff experience and clubhouse presence—are making him an attractive candidate for teams this offseason. Hernandez has played with the Dodgers since 2015, after splitting the 2014 campaign between the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins. 

There hasn't been much buzz about potential landing spots for Hernandez, but Darren Wolfson of SKOR North previously reported that the Minnesota Twins expressed interest in the 29-year-old.