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Black Friday: 5 former All-Stars who could be available at a discount

Brian Blanco / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It's Black Friday, the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

While the hungover brains of the general public search far and wide for the best discounts they can get their hands on - and try to deal with the after-effects of too much turkey and starch - big-league ballclubs are doing some shopping of their own.

With the front offices of the league's 30 teams looking to construct the best rosters they can while sticking to the budgets handed down by their respective owners, here are five former big-league All-Stars they may be able to acquire at a discount.

CC Sabathia

2017 Stats: 14-5, 3.69 ERA, 148 2/3 IP, 1.27 WHIP, 120 SO

2017 Salary: $25 million

In the final season of his contract with the New York Yankees, a rejuvenated Sabathia looked like his former self and made 27 starts in his age-37 season. His 3.69 ERA and 8.4 hits per nine were his lowest since 2012. The hulking southpaw held his own in the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros, fashioning a 0.96 ERA despite walking seven across two starts. The Yankees appear to have interest in a reunion, and he'd certainly come cheaper than last season's $25-million salary.

Mike Napoli

2017 Stats: .193/.285/.428, 29 HR, 66 RBI, 163 SO, 82 OPS+

2017 Salary: $6 million

2017 was Napoli's third stint in Texas with the Rangers and it didn't go swimmingly. After the 36-year-old was a major factor in helping the Cleveland Indians reach the 2016 World Series, Napoli fell in nearly every offensive category and struck out in 34 percent of his plate appearances. The veteran still has pop, however, and should be even more affordable than the meager $6 million he made last season.

Carlos Gonzalez

2017 Stats: .262/.339/.423, 14 HR, 57 RBI, 119 SO, 87 OPS+

2017 Salary: $20 million

Since arriving in Colorado in a 2008 trade with the Oakland Athletics, Gonzalez became a National League household name, appearing in three All-Star games and winning two Silver Sluggers and three Gold Gloves. The 32-year-old struggled to a .221/.299/.338 slash line in the first half of last season, but recovered to post a .921 OPS after the All-Star break. He won't be able to secure the same annual average salary of $20 million, but one club will certainly offer him a deal.

John Lackey

2017 Stats: 12-12, 4.59 ERA, 170 2/3 IP, 1.28 WHIP, 149 SO

2017 Salary: $16 million

He's 39, he's fresh off of a season where he posted his highest ERA since 2011, and he didn't start a game for the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS while posting a 9.82 ERA in three relief appearances. There was speculation Lackey could retire after teammate Jon Lester suggested he might have made his last regular-season appearance in September, but Lackey reportedly won't do so. He has still been a horse the past three seasons, throwing 577 innings, so it wouldn't be surprising to see a club take a discounted waiver on him.

Jose Bautista

2017 Stats: .203/.308/.366, 23 HR, 65 RBI, 170 SO, 76 OPS+

2017 Salary: $20 million

One of the greatest players in Toronto Blue Jays franchise history may have taken his last hack with the club in 2017, but that doesn't mean the 37-year-old should hang up just yet. Before last season, Bautista was still getting on base at a high clip (.403 in 2014, .377 in 2015, .366 on 2016) and was a source of power (85 home runs since 2015), so he could provide someone, like reportedly-interested party the Tampa Bay Rays, with value.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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