Report: Pagan to make decision within the next 48 hours

With Opening Day looming, free-agent outfielder Angel Pagan is preparing to make a decision about where he will sign within the next 48 hours, according to a report from ESPN's Jim Bowden.

Sharing interest in recruiting Pagan throughout the offseason are the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, and Detroit Tigers. Most recently, however, the Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies were identified as the frontrunners of the Pagan sweepstakes.

Pagan is returning from playing for team Puerto Rico who were the runners-up in this year's WBC tournament. Pagan posted a pretty average .286/.324/.371 slash line over 35 at-bats.

Pagan has spent the past five seasons with the Giants and is coming off a four-year $40-million deal. In his last season with the Giants, the two-time World Series champion managed a .750 OPS - his best mark over the past four years - hitting primarily in the two-spot. The 35-year-old outfielder is declining in his fielding abilities, but reduced his whiff rate to 4.2 percent last year. In fact, Pagan's 89.6 percent contact rate was bested by only five qualified hitters in 2016.

While Bowden is reporting a return to the Giants still remains an option, it's worth mentioning that Andrew Baggarly of The Mercury News refutes that claim.