Report: Royals have given up hope of re-signing Cain
Though their offseason strategy has yet to crystallize, the Kansas City Royals have apparently conceded that their longtime center fielder - one of six players from their 2017 roster who's now a free agent - won't be back next year.
While the Royals are still seriously weighing the possibility of bringing back first baseman Eric Hosmer and third baseman Mike Moustakas, the club seems to have given up hope of re-signing Lorenzo Cain, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. (In addition to those three, the Royals are also set to lose Jason Vargas, Alcides Escobar, and Peter Moylan to free agency this winter.)
Cain, like Hosmer and Moustakas, is expected to reject the $17.4-million qualifying offer the Royals extended him last week. If Cain ends up signing with another team for more than $50 million, the Royals will receive a compensatory pick following the first round of the 2018 draft; if he signs for less than that, the Royals' compensatory selection will come after Comp Round B.
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Coming off another strong season, though, Cain will likely command much more than that. After regressing a bit last year following a 2015 campaign in which he finished third in American League MVP voting, Cain bounced back with aplomb this summer, managing 4.1 WAR while hitting .300/.363/.440 (115 wRC+) with 15 home runs, 27 doubles, and 26 stolen bases in 155 games. Since 2013, only four other outfielders - Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Bryce Harper, and Giancarlo Stanton - have been more valuable than Cain, who owns a .767 OPS over that span while averaging 10 homers, 26 doubles, 22 steals, and 12 defensive runs saved per year.
"It's fun and exciting, not knowing where you're going to go or where you're going to be," Cain said during an Oct. 31 appearance on MLB Network Radio. "It's a process that I'm new to, but I'm just trying to go with the flow. Everyone in Kansas City knows that I love playing there and I would love to be back.
"But, if they decide not to bring me back, I'm open for business and I'll be ready to go for whoever is ready for me."