Several teams are still making a strong push to sign big name free agents who are still available on the market at this point, but interested teams might be forced to wait until after the 2014 MLB Draft in June.
Reports indicated that free agents Ervin Santana, Stephen Drew, and Kendrys Morales are leaning towards holding out until after the June draft, knowing that more teams could express interest in acquiring their services since the draft picks attached to the three players will expire.
Santana, Drew, and Morales previously turned down qualifying offers from their respective teams, which means that signing teams will have to forfeit their highest draft pick.
"All three players were given qualifying offers by their former teams before free agency broke, meaning any team that signs one of aforementioned players will have to forfeit a draft pick - this in addition to the salary they have to shell out," FanSided reported.
In an interview with Fox Sports, Bean Stringfellow, Santana's agent, said that he has already talked with the right hander about the possibility of waiting until after the June draft.
Stringfellow also revealed that Santana is not interested in accepting a one-year deal similar to what Nelson Cruz signed with the Baltimore Orioles last week.
"Let's put it this way -- the idea of Ervin Santana signing a one-year deal at the dollars that Nelson Cruz got, I can't in any way, shape or form comprehend that for Ervin," Stringfellow said. "Once you get past the draft, a lot of teams will be in play with the expanded playoffs. You wouldn't have a draft pick attached."
The Orioles, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, and the Seattle Mariners are among the teams interested in signing the 31-year-old pitcher, but these teams are reportedly unwilling to give into the 31-year-old pitcher's asking price.
Scotto Boras, the agent for Drew and Morales, also confirmed that his players are also uninterested in signing cheaper deals, and are also leaning towards sitting out until the draft passes in hopes of finding a more lucrative offer.
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