Weighing the pros and cons of signing MLB's top free agents
Over the past five days, theScore's MLB editors weighed the pros and cons of signing the offseason's five prized free agents: Jake Arrieta, Lorenzo Cain, Yu Darvish, Eric Hosmer, and J.D. Martinez.
Read our analysis, the best fits we've determined for each player, and predictions of where each will end up, below.
Jake Arrieta
Arrieta's a proven commodity and has the hardware to prove it. However, he'll be 32 in March, is a Scott Boras client, and is looking for a megadeal after a down statistical season. In the end, we suspect he'll get what he desires - with a National League Central rival of the Chicago Cubs. Read more...
Lorenzo Cain
Cain has quietly been a force, averaging almost 4.5 WAR per season since 2014, and will cost significantly less than the Hosmers and Martinezes of the free-agent class. Signing a soon-to-be 32-year-old outfielder to a big contract isn't without risk, however, and that's why we believe he'll be heading west from Kansas City. Read more...
Yu Darvish
If a team can look past Darvish's two atrocious World Series starts, it'll get one of the sport's premier strikeout pitchers, albeit at a considerable price tag. Could Darvish end up in the NL Central, too? Read more...
Eric Hosmer
They don't come much more durable and defensively capable than Hosmer, who picked the perfect time to put together a career season. Consistency has been an issue year over year, but at only 28, he's another Boras client who will cash in. Is his time in Kansas City over? Read more...
J.D. Martinez
No one on the market boasts the raw power of "the King Kong of Slug," but Martinez is more than simply a home-run hitter, so his bat rightfully carries a hefty price tag. The 30-year-old's defensive deficiencies, though, make us believe he's headed for the American League East. Read more...
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)