Report: Braves expressing serious interest in Nunez

Add one more to the burgeoning list of teams that appear to be chasing Eduardo Nunez.

The Atlanta Braves are reportedly expressing serious interest in the free-agent utility man, a source told Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com on Thursday.

It's not clear if the sides have had any discussions.

One of Nunez's primary positions is third base, a spot that's projected to be covered in Atlanta by 24-year-old switch-hitter Johan Camargo. Highly regarded prospect Austin Riley isn't too far behind Camargo, and could be ready to take over at the hot corner by next season, if not sooner.

But while the Braves don't appear to want to outright block Riley's path to SunTrust Park and are apparently OK to run with Camargo at third for the time being, they would reportedly be open to signing a third baseman on a one-year deal, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

Whether Nunez would settle for a one-year deal remains to be seen, but unlike other options who only play third base, Nunez's defensive versatility - he's spent time at third, second, shortstop, and both corner outfield positions as a big-leaguer - means he could sign a multi-year deal with the Braves and not block Riley long term. Theoretically, Nunez could start 2018 as the Braves' third baseman, and then shift into an everyday utility role once Riley's ready to come up.

The 30-year-old Nunez split his 2017 season between the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox. Over 114 games he hit .313/.341/.460 (110 OPS+) with 12 homers, 58 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases, while spending time at five defensive positions.

Nunez is reportedly drawing interest from multiple other teams, including the Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays. Last month, the Red Sox confirmed he worked out for them at their Florida complex.