MLB rumors: Which teams are still a possibility for Seiya Suzuki?

When the implementation of the current Major League Baseball lockout paused all transactions impacting every team’s 40-man roster, the pause button was also hit on the signing period for Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki to find his MLB destination.

Which MLB teams are possible destinations for free agent outfielder Seiya Suzuki once the current MLB lockout ends?

Once the MLB lockout ends, the 27-year-old Suzuki, who made a name for himself with the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, will have 20 days to sign with an MLB team. And yes, despite the lockout putting a damper on the timing of his final decision, Suzuki is still “100 percent” committed to playing for an MLB team in 2022.

There are plenty of suitors for the outfielder’s services, and they are projected to pay around $60 million for a four- or five-year deal. Among the teams that have been linked the most to Suzuki are the Seattle Mariners, who were rumored in late January to be among the favorites to sign the outfielder. Among those other favorites are the San Francisco Giants.

According to a tweet from MLB insider Jon Heyman, multiple West Coast teams are interested in Suzuki. That reportedly includes San Francisco’s National League West rivals in the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

However, Suzuki’s interest has reportedly extended past the West Coast. In an article by Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic (subscription required), four American League East teams (the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays) have expressed their interest in Suzuki, with Boston reportedly among the favorites of that group because of “strong scouting links to Suzuki,” Baggarly writes.

Yes, in all, there are around 10 to 12 teams around MLB that have an interest in signing Suzuki, which means it could be a recruiting frenzy for one of the top free agent outfielders once the lockout ends.