Prized free-agent outfielder Shin-Soo Choo has received multiple contract offers and is "moving closer" to a decision about where he'll play next season, agent Scott Boras said Wednesday (h/t Jon Morosi of Fox Sports).
Shin-Soo Cho free agency: OF has offers, ‘moving closer’ to decision
The biggest free agent left on the market is still mulling over his options, according to agent Scott Boras.
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The former Indians and Reds outfielder is reportedly discussing his options with his wife, but there doesn't appear to be any sort of timetable for how soon he'll come to a decision. It was reported Monday that Choo's negotiations were reaching a "critical stage," but the rumor mill has been quiet since then.
The 31-year-old is widely regarded as the best outfielder on the open market now that Jacoby Ellsbury has signed on with the Yankees. Choo is reportedly looking for a deal in between the seven-year, $127 million contract Jayson Werth got from the Nats three years ago and the seven-year, $153 million deal that Ellsbury inked a few weeks ago. (It should be noted that all three are Boras clients.)
The Rangers and the Mariners are the presumed favorites to land Choo at the moment, but they're unlikely to be the only clubs vying for his services. There was word Tuesday that the Reds were still trying to bring him back to Cincinnati, but GM Walt Jocketty said Wednesday that he thinks the club has to "move on" from Choo, per C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Diamondbacks were viewed as a major player for a while, but they're likely out of the running since acquiring Mark Trumbo from the Angels.
Choo has been one of the more productive outfielders in baseball for the last six years, but largely floated under the radar until his 2013 campaign with the Reds. The lefty hit .285/.423/.462 with 21 home runs and 112 walks in 154 games for Cincinnati, making him easily the most productive leadoff hitter the Reds have had in years.
Though a corner outfielder by trade, Choo held his own as Cincy’s primary center fielder, which only serves to increase his overall value. The South Korean is one of the more consistent on-base threats in the game and has averaged over four wins above replacement per year since 2008.
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