The Royals could give the Orioles some competition for free agent Pedro Alvarez’s services in 2017, per a report from the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo. While the infielder/DH is still in talks with Baltimore, Cafardo doesn’t see the club making a push to re-sign the veteran slugger until late in the offseason. Whether or not they pursue Alvarez hinges somewhat on fellow former Oriole Mark Trumbo, who has yet to settle on a landing spot for the upcoming season.
Alvarez maintained a .249/.322/.504 batting line in 2016, hitting 22 home runs and a career-best .826 OPS in 376 PA with the Orioles. He’s attracted interest around the AL East, with both the Rays and Red Sox linked to the 29-year-old, though nothing serious appears to have materialized just yet. He could fit well within the Royals’ lineup, which has a gaping hole at DH since Kendrys Morales took a three-year, $33 million deal with the Blue Jays last month.