Considered by most to be the top starting pitcher on the free agent market, C.J. Wilson figured to receive a hefty payout this winter. With some questioning the merit of dishing out a $100 million deal to the left-hander, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated is reporting that Wilson is seeking a six-year, $120 million contract.
Heyman ended his tweet by telling Wilson, “good luck with that”, concluding the statement by using the hashtag ‘dreaming’.
While this may be the general consensus, Wilson is the best option out there at this point and is a lefty. In a barren pitching market, it’s hard to tell what type of offers teams desperate for arms will put forward.
Wilson and his agent have already been approached by several clubs. The Texas Rangers, Wilson’s former team, has said all along that they want to bring the 30-year-old back. Back on the first of November, Wilson told reporters that he expected to re-sign with the Rangers, calling the chances of a return “great”.
But, at this point, a reunion between Wilson and Texas isn’t as clear cut. General manager Jon Daniels has noted that Wilson is sitting in a prime position this winter and, after hearing Nolan Ryan talk about Wilson yesterday, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com wasn’t convinced that the club is desperate to retain the lefty’s services.
Even with their potent arsenal of starters, the LA Angels have made it known that they have serious interest in Wilson. LA’s new GM Jerry Dipoto said that he would love to add another arm to his rotation, especially a left-hander like Wilson.
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are known to be looking for rotation upgrades, and the Yankees have already contacted Wilson’s agent.
As they have with seemingly every other free agent available, the Miami Marlins have touched base with Wilson. The Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Kansas City Royals are all also scheduled to meet with Wilson’s agent during the general manager meetings in Milwaukee.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.