Throughout the offseason, we'll be taking a look at the top news and rumors from the Hot Stove League.
RUMOR: The Astros are starting to show interest in signing outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
REPORTED BY: ESPN's Peter Gammons
DETAILS: With Chris Davis off the board — he was being sold as an outfielder by his agent — a lot of teams are scrambling to fill their outfield needs as limited options remain. One name that's cropped up on almost every team's wish list since the end of the season is Yoenis Cespedes, and the Cuban slugger appears to have another new suitor in the Astros.
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Houston already has a full outfield, but a majority of their starters and rotational players are young. Cespedes also has the ability to play several outfield spots and could even DH if Evan Gattis can play some first base.
LAST SEASON: Cespedes impressed both in Detroit and in New York, finishing with a .291/.328/.542 slash line, 35 home runs and 105 RBIs. After starting the season in Detroit, Cespedes was traded to the Mets in July and led the struggling franchise to the playoffs, where they ultimately lost to the Royals in the World Series.
OUR TAKE: This is not a great fit for the Astros. Though Minute Maid Park might be enticing to Cespedes, the Astros already have Carlos Gomez, George Springer, Colby Rasmus, Jake Marisnick and Preston Tucker in their crowded outfield and the addition of Cespedes would just stunt some young talent. It's also unlikely Houston would want Cespedes at DH because he's a plus defender and Evan Gattis is not.
While many teams are interested in Cespedes — especially if he's fielding short-term contracts — the Angels, Mets, Tigers and White Sox remain the favorites to acquire his signature.