Roy Oswalt Rumors: Red Sox and Cardinals Offer but Rangers Favored
By Editorial Staff
Now that Prince Fielder has left the market, more attention should turn to free agent starting pitchers Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson. While the market for Jackson remains murky, interest in Oswalt is picking up. Yesterday we reported that the Rangers, Cardinals and Red Sox were all expressing interest in the right-hander, and last night Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports said that the Nationals, Indians and Brewers are also in the mix for the veteran starter.
Many outlets are reporting that the Rangers will be the team that ultimately lands Oswalt, though the Red Sox and Cardinals are already rumored to have offers on the table. The amount of Boston’s proposed deal is unknown, but the Cardinals made an offer approaching $5 million according to Joe Straussof the St. Louis-Dispatch. This doesn’t figure to be enough to land Oswalt, as Strauss figures the veteran will ultimately ink a deal closer to the $7-8 million range with built-in incentives.
It’s yet to be reported that the Rangers have an offer out to Oswalt, though both sides are rumored to have mutual interest in reaching an agreement.
Beyond the Rangers, Cardinals and Red Sox, Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Brewers, Indians and Nationals also have interest in Oswalt.
Rosenthal said the Nationals see Oswalt as a potential veteran leader for their young rotation while the Indians would look to use the 34-year-old as insurance against the potential loss of Fausto Carmona. According to Rosenthal, the Brewers are expressing interest but they would only sign the right-hander for what they consider to be the right price.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.