There is a good chance Melky Cabrera will be entering the free agent market this offseason, as he will reportedly turn down the Blue Jays $15.3 million qualifying offer. In 139 games last season, Cabrera had 171 hits, 16 home runs while batting .301.
There isn’t a huge free agent market for outfielders this off-season, turning down the qualifying offer would be the smartest move for Cabrera considering his value is decently high right now. It’s merely a formality to extend the qualifying offer, but it’s necessary for players of high value.
Cabrera will most likely be looking for a long-term deal since he’s in, and/or entering the prime of his career, which is understandable. He doesn’t have a lot of power, but he’ll give a team a lot of hits, he has solid defense, and he’s very good at getting on base. Since the Royals declined the option on Billy Butler, they could be a good suitor, but he could also end up back in Toronto. Which teams offer Cabrera depends on what kind of contract he is looking for, especially since this might be the last big contract he gets.
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