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2018 MLB Free agency rumors: January hitting gems still out there

By Bobby Mueller

J.D. Martinez set a franchise record with his 14th homer in September in Saturday's loss to the Miami Marlins. (Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
J.D. Martinez set a franchise record with his 14th homer in September in Saturday's loss to the Miami Marlins. (Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /
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2018 MLB Free agency rumors
2018 MLB Free agency rumors /

2018 MLB Free agency rumors: Catcher and First Base

C Jonathan Lucroy, 32 years old

416 PA, 46 R, 10 HR, 47 RBI, 2 SB, .268/.343/.420, 2.3 WAR—Fangraphs

495 PA, 56 R, 14 HR, 56 RBI, 3 SB, .268/.340/.427—Marcels

Lucroy has been a below average hitter in two of the last three seasons. Last year, he was well below average even after his hitting numbers were propped up by 27 games at Coors Field following a trade from Texas in late July. For the season, Lucroy hit .367/.485/.532 in 99 plate appearances in Colorado and .241/.309/.334 everywhere else.

Now, this explains why teams are wary of Lucroy, but if they trust the projection, they’re looking at an above average player. Even when he hasn’t hit, he’s been an asset on defense. His 2.3 WAR projection would be an improvement at the catcher position for a dozen teams, including a few who have playoff aspirations, like the Nationals, Rockies, and Diamondbacks.

  • 1B Eric Hosmer, 28 years old
  • 651 PA, 83 R, 27 HR, 94 RBI, 4 SB, .290/.360/.484, 2.8 WAR—Fangraphs
  • 602 PA, 83 R, 22 HR, 87 RBI, 6 SB, .290/.357/.468—Marcels

2018 MLB Free Agency rumors are flying around about Eric Hosmer recently, with the Padres and Cardinals showing interest in the first baseman. According to USA Today, the Padres have made an offer to Hosmer that would make him the highest-paid player in franchise history (7-years, $140 million). There’s also a chance he returns to Kansas City, where he played the first seven years of his big league career and reportedly offered a 7-year, $147 million contract.

Like Lucroy, Hosmer has had an up and down career. Over the last five years, his WAR has bounced from 3.2 to 0.0 to 3.5 to -0.1 to 4.1. Like Forrest Gump’s famous box of chocolates, with Eric Hosmer “you never know what you gonna get.” He comes with considerable risk as a long-term, high-cost signing.

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