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The baseball world is still awaiting word from Japan on whether star right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will be made available for MLB free agency after the league and Nippon Professional Baseball recently agreed to a new posting system.

Tanaka‘s decision will certainly have a big impact on the entire market for starting pitching, as most of the marquee names are still available. Here’s a look at three of the top free-agent starters and predictions on where they’ll end up by Opening Day.

Matt Garza, RHP

Garza’s name surfaced frequently during the MLB winter meetings, following weeks of relatively few rumors regarding the right-hander. As opposed to Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez, who were extended qualifying offers by their clubs, Garza doesn’t have draft-pick compensation attached to him since he was traded midseason.

That makes him a much more attractive option that could lead to a bigger payday than his contemporaries. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Garza’s market has been thinned to three top suitors:

While LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported the Twins are still in the Garza sweepstakes, it’s hard to see them spending the $60 million or so it could cost to sign him. The team has already committed $49 million to Ricky Nolasco and $24 million to Phil Hughes this offseason, with Jerry Crasnick of ESPN noting the Twins have an eye on Paul Maholm, a cheaper alternative:

The Diamondbacks have a major need in the rotation, especially after trading away promising young pitcher Tyler Skaggs to the Los Angeles Angels in the Mark Trumbo deal. But Steve Gilbert of MLB.com speculated Arizona would be hesitant to go beyond a three-year deal, which could be a major sticking point for Garza, who is expected to get at least four years after Jason Vargas and Nolasco each were able to.

That leaves the Los Angeles Angels as the favorite, and as Jim Bowden of ESPN noted, the team has some payroll flexibility heading into 2014:

Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reported Garza is the club’s top priority, and that there appears to be mutual interest between the two parties. Garza, 30, would be a solid addition to a rotation that already features Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson.

Prediction: Los Angeles Angels

Ervin Santana, RHP

The Kansas City Royals have opened up the checkbook this winter, reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $30.25 million pact with infielder Omar Infante on Friday after signing Vargas to a four-year, $32 million deal earlier this offseason.

Still, Jonah Keri of Grantland.com speculated Kansas City isn’t done spending:

As noted earlier, the Royals made Santana a qualifying offer this offseason, meaning he’ll cost any team that signs him a first-round draft pick.

This hurts his market value significantly, so much that Buster Olney of ESPN thinks Santana’s best option will be to return to Kansas City:

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports also recently reported that the Diamondbacks have had discussions with Santana:

The big-spending New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners are still out there as possible destinations for Santana, but it looks like his big asking price will come back to hurt him.

Prediction: Kansas City Royals

Ubaldo Jimenez, RHP

As Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com wrote, the market surrounding right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez has been slow to develop.

Hoynes made an interesting observation about the Indians front office, suggesting it could be waiting for Jimenez’s value to drop with time before making him an offer:

Rumors have linked Jimenez to the Orioles, Yankees, Blue Jays, Phillies, Mariners and Angels. But the rumors have been more like whispers. The Indians have remained in contact with his agent Diego Bentz of SFX Sports, but they could merely be playing a waiting game should Jimenez still be unsigned come spring training.

Like Santana, Jimenez was extended a qualifying offer earlier this offseason and his signing would cost his new team a valuable high draft pick. Heyman passed along a comment from Indians general manager Chris Antonetti, who sounded like he would welcome back Jimenez:

Jimenez has also been linked to teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, per Bernie Pleskoff of MLB.com, but he could be in a very similar situation to Santana. Jimenez is only 29 and had a dominant second half in 2013, but has been largely inconsistent the past few years. That will make other teams think twice about committing a big deal and a draft pick.

Prediction: Cleveland Indians

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The MLB winter meetings came and went without any big blockbuster signings or trades, but that didn’t put a stop to the baseball rumor mill, which is always churning out new rumblings at this time of year.

From sluggers to starters to closers, there are still a few players who have been mentioned in recent rumors. Given the current state of the MLB offseason, here’s a look at three big leaguers who are most likely to be dealt by the start of spring training.

Brandon Phillips

The talented Cincinnati Reds second baseman has been a big name on the trading block all offseason, with the latest round of rumors connecting him to the Yankees, who reportedly nixed a deal that would have sent outfielder Brett Gardner to the Reds.

According to Mike Axisa of CBS Sports, Phillips and Cincinnati’s front office are at odds over comments the player made about last year’s contract extension.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Reds are still interested in dealing Phillips in order to open up a spot for free-agent second baseman Omar Infante:

So it’s no secret that Phillips is on the trading block. If there’s one thing working against Phillips, it’s that he reportedly wanted to re-open up his contract negotiations, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. With four years and $50 million remaining, Phillips will be hard-pressed to squeeze any more commitment from any team.

Though a Phillips-Gardner framework didn’t work out for the Yankees and Reds, it doesn’t mean the veteran second baseman can’t still end up in pinstripes as the successor to Robinson Cano. Another possible option is the Los Angeles Dodgers, who could move Hanley Ramirez to third base and Cuban free agent Alexander Guerrero to shortstop.

It will take a lot to make a Phillips deal work, but the Reds are clearly trying to move him.

Ike Davis

New York Mets first baseman Ike Davis has been linked with the Milwaukee Brewers as a potential trade target for weeks, and those rumors are heating up with recent changes to the first-base market.

While Corey Hart left Milwaukee for the Seattle Mariners, free agent James Loney has too big of an asking price, per Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.

As such, Milwaukee’s best bet is to try and acquire Davis, who struggled mightily in 2013 (.205/.326/.334 with nine HRs and 33 RBI), but showed a lot of potential in 2010 (.265/.351/.440, 19 homers, 71 RBI) and 2012 (.227/.308/.462, 32 HRs, 90 RBI).

Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel speculated that the Brewers were involved with both Davis and Loney:

So what’s the potential hold up in the deal? According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Milwaukee isn’t willing to part with a promising young arm in return.

Tyler Thornburg is a 25-year-old righty who posted a 3-1 record, 2.03 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and a 6.5 K/9 ratio in 66.2 innings pitched across 18 games (seven starts). For a player as mercurial as Davis, it’s easy to see why the pitching-starved Brewers are reluctant to part with Thornburg.

But there appears to be serious interest here between these two teams, so don’t be surprised if they make something work in the near future.

Jonathan Papelbon

It might be tough for the Philadelphia Phillies to find a trade partner for their veteran closer, but it’s clear that they want to ship him to another team.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Philly front office making a big push to deal Papelbon:

Olney also broke down the terms for Papelbon’s vesting option in 2016, which could push his deal to $39 million over the next three seasons:

With other high-priced vets like Ryan Howard, Cliff Lee, Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz and Chase Utley on the payroll, and other cheaper closer options on the market like Joaquin Benoit and Grant Balfour, it makes sense for the Phillies to try and shed Papelbon’s salary.

But with top closer Joe Nathan signing a two-year, $20 million deal with the Detroit Tigers this offseason, it will be hard to deal a closer who makes $13 million annually. Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reported the club would be willing to throw some cash in to make Papelbon’s contract more palatable, further indicating the team’s desire to trade him away.

Possible teams that could use a closer are the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers.

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Monday marked the first day of MLB‘s annual winter meetings in Florida, as executives from all 30 teams are gathered to discuss the current state of the game.

But they’re also there to talk about possible trades and meet with agents about the prospects of signing new players. While there weren’t any big deals announced on Monday, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports noted that the groundwork for a lot of potential trades has been laid.

There were several rumors to come out of Monday’s winter meetings, so let’s take a look at the deals that could happen and the others that just don’t make sense.

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Owners and general managers from all 30 MLB teams will convene in Orlando, Fla., starting on Monday for the four-day winter meetings that could include more big deals.

This past week has been a busy one for offseason MLB player movement, and there are still many high-profile trade candidates who could be moved in the near future. Here are the latest rumblings regarding three of the top pitchers available on the trade market.

LHP David Price

After reportedly agreeing to a 10-year, $240 million deal with Robinson Cano on Friday, the Seattle Mariners still have big things in mind this offseason. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times spoke to an MLB executive who told him Seattle has now shifted its focus to acquiring Tampa Bay lefty David Price via trade.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports also commented on the possibility of Price going to Seattle, via Twitter:

Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times cited sources who said the Mariners would have to include a top pitching prospect in the deal:

Taijuan Walker is a 21-year-old righty with a fastball that sits in the mid-90s, per Rick Randall of Scout.com. In 25 starts between Double-A and Triple-A this year, Walker went 9-10 with a 2.93 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 10.2 K/9 ratio before making his MLB debut in September.

Walker would step right in Tampa Bay’s rotation in 2014 and be a nice return for Price, who already has a Cy Young Award under his belt. The Rays are in no position to sign Price once he becomes a free agent following the 2015 season. They also fared well in last year’s trade of James Shields, receiving 2013 AL Rookie of the Year Wil Myers in return, and should receive an even bigger haul with Price.

Adding Price to a rotation that already features Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, who finished third in the AL Cy Young voting this past season, would give Seattle one of baseball’s best starting trios.

Ben Badler of Baseball America took it a step further, speculating the team can sign Japanese star righty Masahiro Tanaka to a free-agent deal later this winter:

It’s all just a dream right now, but the Mariners have a new $2 billion TV deal that gives them the wherewithal to make it a reality.

RHP Jonathan Papelbon

The Philadelphia Phillies owe a lot of money to a lot of aging stars, but now it sounds like they are trying to shed some salary.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Philadelphia is actively shopping veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon:

But Rosenthal also mentions Papelbon’s big salary figures for the next few seasons, which may put him out of many teams’ price range unless the Phillies include cash in the deal:

The first team that comes to mind as a fit is the New York Yankees, who now have a bunch of cash to spend after Cano left the Bronx for his big contract with Seattle. The Yankees have since added Carlos Beltran and have a void at closer following the retirement of Mariano Rivera.

Papelbon, 33, has a combined 67 saves with 2.67 ERA and 1.09 WHIP the past two seasons in Philadelphia. It’s unknown if the Yankees are one of the 12 teams on his no-trade clause list, but he’s an option take over the ninth-inning duties if the team isn’t ready to hand the reins over to David Robertson.

LHP Brett Anderson

Ever since the A’s signed Scott Kazmir to a two-year, $22 million deal earlier this week, Anderson has been a hot name on the trading block since Oakland has a surplus of starting pitching. Besides Kazmir, the team’s other top options like Jarrod Parker, Sonny Gray, Dan Straily, A.J. Griffin and Tommy Milone are much cheaper.

Anderson’s an active Twitter user, so he’s seen his name linked to various teams via reports. Jane Lee of MLB.com recently spoke to Anderson, who maintained his sense of humor about the swirling trade rumors:

Anderson has a point. He has been linked with teams like the Yankees, Blue Jays, Royals and Rangers, as Buster Olney of ESPN reported Oakland has been having trade discussions with multiple teams:

Anderson is a talented 25-year-old lefty who has been riddled with injuries, making just 24 starts the past three years. For his career, he’s 26-29 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 7.1 K/9 ratio, and would be an intriguing option for any team that wants a middle-of-the rotation contributor.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers might be big spenders, but they haven’t made any major signings so far this offseason.

The four-year, $28 million pact with Cuban infielder Alexander Guerrero still stands as the Dodgers’ biggest signing this winter, while the team has also inked right-hander Dan Haren to a one-year, $10 million deal.

So that’s $38 million spent on free agents, just a drop in the bucket for the new ownership group led by Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten, who bought the team for a record $2 billion in 2012.

With the team also listening to offers to unload the big contracts of one of their veteran outfielders like Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, via Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times, are the Dodgers saving up to re-sign Clayton Kershaw?

The southpaw already has two Cy Young Awards to his name at the age of 25 and looks like he’s only getting better. He’s led the National League in ERA and WHIP each of the past three seasons, including his dominant 2013 campaign when he finished 16-9 with a 1.83 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP and an NL-best 232 strikeouts.

This marks the final offseason that Kershaw is eligible for arbitration, as he is set to hit free agency following the 2014 campaign. That is, of course, if the Dodgers cannot ink him to an extension first.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, the Dodgers approached Kershaw about a long-term deal in the neighborhood of $300 million that would be the biggest in MLB history, barring an unprecedented contract for free-agent Robinson Cano this offseason.

Olney also reported that Kershaw wasn’t keen on negotiating a deal during the season, but that there was enough discussion to believe that an extension could be agreed upon this winter.

In early November, though, Kershaw sounded like a man who wanted to test his value on the open market when Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times asked him about the prospect of free agency.

“I think any player, that’s the reward of baseball, to make it to that point,” Kershaw told Hernandez. “I think any player gets curious when you get close, for sure.”

It would be wise for Kershaw to start a bidding war for his services, but it would also be hard for anyone to turn down $300 million.

As Matthew Pouliot of NBC’s Hardball Talk noted, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees would be two teams that have spending room next winter and would be willing to top $30 million annually to sign Kershaw.

So what exactly is he worth?

Spotrac.com did a contract comparison of four of Kershaw‘s contemporaries that have recently signed big deals: Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander, Cole Hamels and CC Sabathia. According to Spotrac, the average deal between that quartet was eight years, $195 million.

But with baseball revenues at record levels and Kershaw having such unprecedented success at a young age, this seems like a perfect storm for the $300 million contract barrier to be broken.

The Dodgers have already made sizeable commitments to their rotation, signing Zack Greinke to a six-year, $147 million deal last year and then making a $61 million commitment to Hyun-Jin Ryu shortly after. Not to mention the team was listed as a front-runner to sign Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka, according to Hernandez, who would command upwards of $125 million if MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball can agree to a posting-fee system this offseason.

When you take those things into consideration, it doesn’t look like the Dodgers have any reservations about continuing to shell out the big bucks going forward. While Los Angeles hasn’t made any groundbreaking moves so far this winter, there is still plenty of time to make it happen.

Money doesn’t seem to be an object to this ownership group, who can seemingly consider throwing $400 million to Tanaka and Kershaw without blinking an eye. Market values for pitching are going up and Kershaw is peaking at the right time.

The Dodgers would hate to see Kershaw leave via free agency, and they have the financial wherewithal to keep him around. But will they be able to sign him before he has a chance to talk with other teams as a free agent?

Stay tuned.

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Expect the MLB offseason market action to pick up following Thanksgiving weekend and heading into the winter meetings from Dec. 9-12. There has already been a few notable signings, like Brian McCann and Jason Vargas, but virtually all of the top free agents are still available on the market.

Here’s a look at the latest news and rumors concerning three of the top hitters looking for new deals this winter.

Robinson Cano, 2B

Since September, Robinson Cano and his negotiating team had reportedly been holding firm to their asking price of more than $300 million over a 10-year contract.

But according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, Cano and the Yankees met on Tuesday to discuss a new deal:

While it doesn’t sound like a new contract is imminent, Feinsand also reported the two sides will meet again shortly:

The Yankees have been a favorite to retain Cano all offseason long, and it’s still looking that way. But it’s encouraging that Cano’s camp has been able to realize its outlandish expectations and lower its asking price, no matter how small.

Even though the Yankees have already inked McCann to a five-year deal that could reach $100 million with incentives, sources have told Feinsand it “doesn’t impact Cano” even as the team tries to get under the $189 million luxury-tax salary-cap figure.

Shin-Soo Choo, OF

Could Shin-Soo Choo be headed back to the Cleveland Indians?

Nick Camino of WTAM 1100 radio in Cleveland recently cited sources who said Choo would be interested in rejoining the Indians:

Choo played in Cleveland from 2006-12 and established himself as an everyday force in the lineup by the 2008 season. But the two parted ways for 2013, as Choo became one of baseball’s top leadoff hitters with the Cincinnati Reds (.285/.423/.462 slash line, 21 home runs, 54 RBI) and the Indians made a magical run to claim an AL wild-card spot.

It would be interesting to see where Choo would fit in Cleveland’s lineup. Michael Bourn is about to start a four-year, $48 million contract, and he spent last year as the team’s leadoff hitter and center fielder, the two spots Choo held in Cincinnati.

Choo, 31, might be better served to play one of the corner outfield spots, where he would be an upgrade over Michael Brantley and/or Drew Stubbs, who are both arbitration eligible this winter.

With Scott Boras as his agent, Choo is due for a big raise. Earlier this offseason, Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said the team would be aggressive after annual revenues were up 20 percent, so it will be interesting to see if there will be a Choo-Cleveland reunion.

Mike Napoli, 1B

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports recently painted a dim picture on the recent pursuits made by the Seattle Mariners in free agency.

In a report that characterized the team as “desperate,” Rosenthal cited Seattle sources who said the team is interested in signing first baseman Mike Napoli to a free-agent deal, and that it might take extra money to lure him to the Pacific Northwest.

The Mariners reportedly had interest in Napoli as a free agent last year, per Bob Dutton of The News Tribune, but backed off over injury concerns. Now that Napoli has made the switch from catcher to first base and is fully healthy, he could be counted on to bring some power to an offense that desperately needs it.

Seattle’s top two sluggers from a year ago, Kendrys Morales and Raul Ibanez, are both free agents, so the team could use a power bat like Napoli‘s. Rosenthal said the Mariners are also interested in other big names available like Choo, Nelson Cruz and Jacoby Ellsbury.

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The Minnesota Twins have agreed to terms with free-agent pitcher Ricky Nolasco. The deal between the club and the right-hander was first reported by Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com on Wednesday afternoon:

Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press received confirmation from Nolasco:

Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports provides the financial details:

The Twins and Nolasco have been linked for a couple of weeks now, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Minnesota desperately needed some pitching help after finishing 2013 ranked 30th in MLB team ERA among starters (5.26). With a rotation that didn’t feature a single 10-game winner this past season, Nolasco could step right in and be the ace.

Nolasco started the 2013 season with the Miami Marlins but was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in July, serving as a major force in the rotation during the Dodgers’ playoff push.   

He went 8-1 with a 2.07 ERA in his first dozen starts with Los Angeles, but posted a 12.75 ERA and .393 opponents’ batting average in the final three starts of the regular season. Still, he finished the year with a 13-11 mark, 3.70 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 7.4 K/9 rate, and now has an 89-75 record and 4.37 ERA during his eight-year MLB career.

No financial figures have emerged about the deal yet, but you have to assume the Twins paid a pretty penny to sign Nolasco, who was reportedly seeking a five-year, $80 million contract this offseason.

It’s hard to make a case that he’s worth $16 million annually, but the Twins needed an innings-eater and they got one in Nolasco, who has averaged 192 innings pitched in each of the past six seasons.

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The New York Mets have inquired about the availability of Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Heyman shared the details of the brief exchange between Mets general manager Sandy Alderson and members of the Brewers, saying Alderson asked, “What’s up with Braun?” earlier this offseason.

Even though it was just a quick inquiry, it shows that the Mets have some degree of interest in acquiring the embattled Braun, who was suspended the final 65 games of last year for his role in the Biogenesis performance enhancing drug scandal and for his actions during a separate PED situation in 2011.

The Braun/Mets rumors picked up steam last week when Matthew Cerrone of Metsblog.com reported that there was a “better chance” the Brewers would trade away Ryan Braun than Norichika Aoki in a possible deal for first baseman Ike Davis. A day later, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin discredited the rumors and said the team has “no intentions” of trading Braun, per Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel.

There’s no doubting Braun’s talent, but he comes with a ton of extra baggage that would be put in the spotlight in New York, much more so than Milwaukee. Right now, Braun is something of a villain in baseball and a poster child of the new era of performance enhancing drugs.    

After being implicated of wrongdoing in 2011 and eventually being cleared, Braun faced the media and decried his innocence. It turned out to be a bold-faced lie and he drew the ire of many of his contemporaries.

Even though many of his past accomplishments, like winning the 2011 NL MVP, are tarnished, Braun’s ability in the batter’s box is undoubted. From 2007 to 2012, Braun posted a slash line of .313/.374/.568 with yearly averages of 34 homers and 107 RBI while being named to five All-Star teams.

He just turned 30, and though Melvin told Heyman “four or five” teams are interested, it doesn’t sound like Braun is going anywhere at this time. The Brewers would be wise to hold on to a rare hitting talent like Braun, even if it means there will be a few more cameras in the locker room.    

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There have been a few notable free-agent signings so far this offseason, but most of the big names are still available out there on the market.

This week has featured the new contracts of players like catcher Brian McCann (New York Yankees), shortstop Jhonny Peralta (St. Louis Cardinals) and pitcher Jason Vargas (Kansas City Royals), but the deals are sure to get bigger as more high-profile players make their respective decisions during free agency. If there’s anything we’ve learned so far, it’s that the contract values are solid from a player’s point of view with baseball revenues at an all-time high.

Let’s take a look at the top players available at each position as we head into the Thanksgiving weekend.

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So far this offseason, Jason Vargas’ reported four-year, $32 million accord with the Kansas City Royals stands as the biggest contract earned by a free-agent pitcher.

But that is bound to change with a few other established veteran starting pitchers on the market seeking big deals and a closer who could bring in a significant payday. Let’s take a look at the latest MLB free-agency rumors surrounding three of the big-name pitchers still available on the market.

Ervin Santana, RHP

Ervin Santana might be waiting a while if his negotiating team sticks to its guns on a desired five-year, $112 million deal.

The right-hander looked great in 2013, going 9-10 with a 3.24 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 6.9 strikeout rate, but has been largely inconsistent throughout his career.

Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland recently made an appearance on SiriusXM MLB Network Radio and said he thinks Kansas City still has a serious interest in bringing Santana back, despite adding Vargas:

From what (general manager) Dayton (Moore) has told me, he’s still going to be in contact with Erv and his people and we’ll see where it goes. I don’t think we’re totally out of the running, but we’ll just have to see where that heads. Like I said, that’s not my department. But from my personal standpoint, I hope we’re still in the running for him.

Eiland admitted that he’s not connected with the daily free-agent process, but his words reveal some insight behind the team’s thinking. Still, after such a sizable commitment to Vargas and a trio of young arms ready to help contribute, don’t expect Kansas City to put more money in the rotation.

Santana has also been linked to the Toronto Blue Jays, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but until his asking price goes down, don’t expect to hear of any new contract for the 30-year-old righty.

Matt Garza, RHP

Matt Garza and Santana are widely viewed as the top two pitchers on the free-agent market this season. Like Santana, Garza has also been discussed as a possible signing for the Blue Jays, per Jim Bowden of ESPN:

If the contracts of Tim Hudson (two years, $23 million) and Josh Johnson (one year, $8 million) have told us anything, it’s that the market value for pitching is going up. Meanwhile, Vargas’ deal also may have affected the negotiations of other pitchers like Garza, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports speculated the New York Yankees could try to make three big signings this offseason with filling a rotation spot being a top priority alongside re-signing Robinson Cano. As Heyman reported, the Yankees have targeted Garza but haven’t pursued Santana, so perhaps we could see him in pinstripes next year.

Garza turned 31 on Tuesday and has been much more consistent than Santana in recent years, posting a sub-4.00 ERA in each of the past seven seasons. In 2013, Garza went a combined 10-6 with a 3.82 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with a 7.9 strikeout rate, so he’ll surely command a healthy payday this offseason.

Joe Nathan, RHP

Joe Nathan is widely viewed as the top option at closer on the free-agent market this year after opting out of a one-year, $9 million contract with the Texas Rangers earlier this offseason. Even though Nathan just turned 39, he’s in line for a nice multi-year deal after converting 43 of 46 save opportunities with a 1.39 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 10.2 strikeout rate in 2013.

As of last week, Nathan told Bowden that he was getting recruited to the Detroit Tigers by Torii Hunter:

But with word emerging from Detroit that the Tigers will try to sign Brian Wilson to be their new closer, per The Detroit News‘ Lynn Henning, Nathan could be looking elsewhere for work.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reported that the Yankees had “peripheral interest” in Nathan to succeed Mariano Rivera as the team’s closer, but he’s probably on the back burner now with the five-year, $85 million signing of catcher Brian McCann and David Robertson waiting for the ninth-inning call.

Paul Hoynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group recently relayed comments from Cleveland Indians general manager Chris Antonetti, who said the team is looking internally and externally for a new closer.

But with Los Angeles Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto claiming that his team will go with Ernesto Frieri as the closer in 2014, the number of suitors for Nathan is appearing to drop.

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