Suitors Lining Up for Shane Victorino

Shane Victorino may be coming off the worst offensive season of his career, but that hasn’t kept several teams from expressing interest in his services according to a report from Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. The fleet-footed center fielder, who turns 32 at the end of the month, spent 2012 with the Phillies and Dodgers, posting a combined triple slash line of .255/.321/.383 in the process.

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

While Victorino’s numbers did fall short of his norm this past season, he’s still a very productive big league center fielder with game-changing speed on the bases and a very reliable glove in the field. Thanks to these positive attributes, he still managed to contribute 3.3 WAR in 2012 despite a paltry .310 wOBA, and there are few teams who wouldn’t benefit from adding a 3.0 WAR outfielder to their roster over the offseason.

While there’s no telling at this point where Victorino could end up, one thing seems certain: it’s extremely unlikely he returns to the Dodgers. Los Angeles seems to have their outfield planned for next season barring a trade of Andre Ethier, something the organization has explicitly stated they aren’t looking to do. The Reds, Indians, Rangers, and Red Sox have all been linked to Victorino, who will doubtlessly look to make a big splash.

Can’t get enough of Spencer? Check out his work at StanGraphs and follow him on Twitter at @shendricks221.