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Report: Encarnacion seeking $100M in free agency

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Yoenis Cespedes' four-year, $110-million deal with the New York Mets seems to be shaping the free-agent market for the next highly coveted slugger.

The belief is now that Edwin Encarnacion will seek a $100-million deal in free agency, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

Earlier in the offseason, it was reported the Toronto Blue Jays offered Encarnacion a four-year deal worth approximately $80 million that he subsequently rejected, leading the team to sign Kendrys Morales to a three-year, $33-million contract.

The Blue Jays, while still talking with Encarnacion's camp, seem to be moving away from the idea of re-signing him after general manager Ross Atkins said it wasn't impossible - though it is less likely - Toronto would pursue the 33-year-old now that it's signed Morales.

Encarnacion has generated interest from a handful of teams, including the Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Texas Rangers. The Astros have been extremely active this offseason, signing Josh Reddick and trading for Brian McCann. Encarnacion's agent, Paul Kinzer, said recently his client could sign this week after receiving two serious offers.

The 33-year-old has been one of the game's premier sluggers since the Blue Jays acquired him in 2009 and is coming off a season in which he played a career-high 160 games, hitting .263/.357/.529 with 42 home runs and 127 RBIs, also career bests.

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