5 names to watch at the winter meetings

The winter meetings are around the corner, a new CBA deal was struck, and all of a sudden, baseball is back to normal.

With that, expect the usual chaos to unfold at the meetings, where teams are going to trade, sign, and shake up the baseball world.

Here's a look at five players to keep an eye on ahead of the meetings in D.C.:

Dexter Fowler

Dexter Fowler is the type of outfielder who can fit into a lot of lineups. While the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays are all believed to be interested in the switch-hitting outfielder, Fowler's camp believes they can get an $18-million annual salary for him. It wouldn't be much of a surprise to see him land a contract at the meetings.

Andrew McCutchen

Initially, it looked as though the Pittsburgh Pirates were set to strike a deal with the Washington Nationals for Andrew McCutchen before the Friday tender deadline. That didn't happen, but it doesn't mean it won't. McCutchen had his worst season to date, but he's still a coveted outfielder that fits into what Washington needs. If he goes to the Nats, Trea Turner will be able to move back to his native shortstop, and Bryce Harper will finally have a legitimate right-handed bat to protect him in the order.

Chris Sale

Without a doubt, Chris Sale would be the best arm to be dealt in the offseason, but wherever he goes, the Chicago White Sox will need a hefty return. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports indicated that the Nationals, Astros, Red Sox, Rangers, and Braves have all shown interest. That being said, the asking price from Washington would be in the Turner region, for the Astros it's Alex Bregman, the Braves it's Dansby Swanson, and so on. So here's the thing: The team that is willing to give up the most blue chip of blue-chip prospects is probably going to be the one that lands Sale.

Edwin Encarnacion

From a batter's box standpoint, Edwin Encarnacion is the guy this offseason. Ever since 2012, Encarnacion has been one of baseball's most dominant hitters, belting 193 home runs over five seasons (it was a down year when he hit 34 in 2014). Not only that, but he's durable, appearing in 160 regular-season games last year. Someone is going to fork out the cash needed to get Encarnacion on their team, so expect him to get paid at the meetings.

Ryan Braun

There hasn't been much talk about Ryan Braun, but the fact of the matter is he's a legit outfield option who can hit, though he's owed $76 million through 2020 with a $15-million option in 2021. The former MVP had his best season since 2012, blasting 30 homers and slashing .305/.365/.538. The Brewers are in rebuild mode, so dealing Braun has to be an option, and they'd look for a significant return.