Gary A. Vasquez USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Orioles have some interest in re-signing first baseman Chris Davis, but baseball’s reigning home run leader (47 in 2015) is sure to command big money on the free agent market. So much so that the team may simply have to go another direction, and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has reported some possible interest in Pedro Alvarez.
One industry source thinks non-tender of Pedro Alvarez complicated Chris Davis market. #Orioles began looking at Alvarez as alternative…
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 7, 2015
Alvarez was not tendered a contract by the Pittsburgh Pirates last week, making him a free agent. The Cleveland Indians have reported interest in the 28 year-old slugger virtually immediately, but the Orioles’ interest makes a lot of sense as a low-cost alternative to Davis.
Davis has been a more prolific power hitter, with 53 home runs in 2013 and 47 homers last season, but Alvarez has at least 27 home runs in three of the last four seasons with 30 or more twice (2012 and 2013). Add in the cost of a new contract, and being a year younger (29 on Feb. 6, 2016), Alvarez is a solid alternative to be Baltimore’s primary first baseman if the cost to retain Davis becomes too inflated.
The Orioles need to bolster multiple areas of the roster this offseason, and it’s fair to assume bringing Davis back would end any notable involvement they would have in the free agent market. So Baltimore’s plan should be to spread the money that would have to be allocated to Davis across multiple assets, and signing Alvarez to a two or three-year deal fits that bill.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
