Figuring out the best suitors for Edwin Encarnacion

Conventional wisdom tells us it’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. But for baseball fans, the last weeks of December can be a drag. As the year closes, the offseason comes to a standstill. Players and teams take lengthy breaks, and significant moves don’t happen again until well after the new year.

That layoff might seem even longer this season because we’re dealing with one of the weakest free-agent classes in recent memory. Yoenis Cespedes is gone, and the trio of closers already signed. We’ve reached the point where Daniel Hudson and Derek Holland are starting to dominate the headlines.

But there’s one major free agent still out there — and he’s a player who could be a huge difference-maker to a contending club. That man is former Toronto Blue Jays first baseman/DH Edwin Encarnacion.

Over the past five years, few hitters have been as dominant as Encarnacion. Since 2012, he’s hit .272/.367/.544, with 193 home runs. Those 193 long balls rank second in the majors over that span. The slugger showed no signs of slowing down in 2016, hitting .263/.357/.529, with 42 home runs.

The market for the slugger hasn’t materialized yet this winter. Encarnacion reportedly turned down a four-year, $80 million deal to return to Toronto, and it doesn’t appear he’s received a more enticing offer since then.

Considering the market, it seems as if Encarnacion could go anywhere right now. If the right team swoops in and makes a decent offer, they could come away with his services. Is that true? Probably not. Encarnacion will probably still find a way to get paid. But it does feel like there’s at least a possibility for a surprising team to enter the fray and steal him.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at which teams make the most sense for the best free agent still on the market. While every team would love to have Encarnacion’s production, some lack the money, or already have an established player at first.

Using process of elimination, we’re going to determine which clubs are the most interesting fits for the slugger. Oh, and we’re including every single team. So, San Diego Padres fans, we’re even giving you a chance here — but not a huge one.

WE AREN’T CONTENDING NEXT YEAR
San Diego Padres
Minnesota Twins
Atlanta Braves
Chicago White Sox
Philadelphia Phillies

Self explanatory, right? The Padres, Twins and Braves aren’t going to win next year with Encarnacion. The White Sox are actively selling off every player not nailed to the floor. The Phillies, while young, fun and potentially exciting, are making moves that indicate they are at least a year away. After picking up a bunch of players you’re going to trade in July, it doesn’t make sense to turn around and give four years to Encarnacion.

WE’RE BAD, BUT …
Cincinnati Reds
Arizona Diamondbacks
Los Angeles Angels

These teams are probably going to be bad, and wouldn’t contend with Encarnacion anyway. Even if you entertained the notion, it doesn’t make sense. The Reds have Joey Votto. The D-Backs have Paul Goldschmidt. Neither player is going to be moved for Encarnacion. You can make the case the Angels are the better fit, though signing EE would require them to move an aging Albert Pujols back to first. That doesn’t seem wise considering he’s played through injuries the past few years. Yes, Encarnacion could technically play first, but he’s not exactly regarded for his defense. Even with both players, we’re not sure the Angels are good.

WE DON’T HAVE THE MONEY
Tampa Bay Rays
Milwaukee Brewers
Kansas City Royals

The Brewers don’t fit for a number of reasons. They aren’t going to contend in 2016, and they already signed Eric Thames to play first. But, even in a world where neither of those things happened, they would still lack the money to sign Encarnacion. The same can be said of the Rays. They’re a team that could actually use Encarnacion, but they don’t have the money.

The Royals are slightly more interesting. While they probably don’t have the money to add Encarnacion, the team did give $72 million to Alex Gordon last offseason. That might be the limit for them, though, and Encarnacion is likely looking for more. On top of all that, a fair amount of the Royals’ core will be free agents following the 2017 season, and it doesn’t make sense to bring in a big-name guy if a rebuild is coming soon.

WE LIKE OUR CURRENT GUY
Detroit Tigers
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
Chicago Cubs

There’s just no practical fit with these clubs. The Tigers have Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez locked in at first and DH. The three National League teams aren’t moving their current guys to make space for Encarnacion.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU, BUT …
Pittsburgh Pirates
Colorado Rockies
Houston Astros

All three teams are either fringe contenders, or believe they are fringe contenders right now. Adding Encarnacion could be the one thing that pushes each of these teams to the playoffs. Unfortunately, all three are limited by different issues.

The Pirates simply don’t have the money to make the move. The Rockies are hamstrung by roster issues. Ian Desmond is slated to play first right now, and most think that’s a waste of resources. Colorado would have to trade one of their outfielders before even considering bringing in Encarnacion. Houston made sense earlier in the offseason, but then the team went out and signed Carlos Beltran to DH.

WE’RE STILL IN THIS, SOMEHOW
Oakland Athletics
New York Mets
Miami Marlins

Oakland doesn’t make a lot of sense. They aren’t a good team, and they don’t have the money to make it work. They are only here because they’ve been linked to Encarnacion lately. We have no idea what to make of it. When agents are trying to get their clients more money, they rarely float the A’s as a major threat.

The Mets have Lucas Duda. He’s fine, though not the type of guy that prohibits you from signing Encarnacion. They don’t seem too keen on spending money, though. So, they are out.

The Marlins are the real shrug emoji here, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. They could use a better first baseman, but Encarnacion may not be a great fit. He would be forced to play the field each day, and he might not be enough to turn the team into contenders. With that said, the Marlins occasionally throw weird contracts at elite players. They were reportedly willing to give Kenley Jansen $80 million before he re-signed with the Dodgers, so you never know. Maybe they’ll do the same with Encarnacion, even though he doesn’t really improve their outlook much.

WE COULD REALLY USE YOU
Seattle Mariners
Baltimore Orioles

Here are two teams that should contend next year, and could really benefit from having Encarnacion. The Mariners are set to head into 2017 with Dan Vogelbach at first. That’s less than ideal. By signing Encarnacion, the team would have to get creative with DH playing time between him and Nelson Cruz, but that would be one heck of a lineup. While the M’s have shown the ability to spend to bring in big-time free agents, it’s unclear whether they have the flexibility to add another huge contract.

If the season started today, Trey Mancini would be the starting DH for the Orioles. Thankfully, the season does not start today. Encarnacion would fit perfectly here, but it just doesn’t seem likely. The Orioles have opted to go for cheap options on the market over the past few years (think Pedro Alvarez last season and Nelson Cruz a few years ago). They seem far more likely to settle for a guy like Chris Carter at a fraction of Encarnacion’s price.

WE DON’T KNOW IF THIS MAKES SENSE
St. Louis Cardinals
New York Yankees

We don’t know if either of these teams make sense, but hear us out. The Cardinals seem intent on playing Matt Carpenter at first. They could sign Encarnacion and then move Carpenter to third, but then that would move Jedd Gyorko to second. That would mean Kolten Wong either has to be traded or he sits on the bench next to Matt Adams and Johnny Peralta. It’s not a terrible idea, but it creates a lot of roster headaches.

The Yankees are a wild card here. It looks like they are building toward the future, but what if they decided to change course and just go for it. It’s not as crazy as you might think. The team already signed closer Aroldis Chapman to a mega-deal, and they are reportedly interested in White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana. Those both stick out as win-now moves. If the team were to find a way to get Quintana, what’s stopping them from saying “screw it” and going after Encarnacion? Sure, Greg Bird seemed promising two years ago, but he’s far from a guarantee. It doesn’t seem likely, but it would sure be a lot of fun.

WE WANT YOU BACK
Toronto Blue Jays

It’s not really over, is it? The Blue Jays signed Kendrys Morales earlier in the offseason, making it seem unlikely Encarnacion would return. Maybe that’s still the case, though Encarnacion’s lengthy stay on the market has caused some to wonder if a reunion could still happen. There’s a clear need here, as Justin Smoak is set to open the season as the team’s DH. Plus, we know Encarnacion loved playing in Toronto. Early in the free-agent process, he made it clear they were the favorite.

It seems like two things are holding this deal back. Will Toronto pony up an offer Encarnacion finds fair? Is Toronto willing to go into the season with either Morales or Encarnacion playing first every day? It’s no longer an ideal fit, but given the relationship between both sides, we still need to consider the Blue Jays.

WE’RE WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP
Washington Nationals
Boston Red Sox

Ryan Zimmerman is bad. He’s hit just .232/.288/.413 over the past two years, but the Nationals are intent on playing him because he’s under contract at a significant price. If you sign Encarnacion, you have to move Zimmerman and his $14 million salary to the bench. That’s probably not going to happen unless the Nationals completely sell out to win a World Series. They’ve already shown a willingness to do that this offseason. The team traded future assets to bring Adam Eaton over from the White Sox. It’s clear that Washington believes its window is now. Encarnacion certainly helps there. With all that said, the Nats are already in good shape without him. So, unless they really decide to go all-in, it won’t happen. But they have the money and they have a GM who is willing to make bold moves.

Boston is in a similar spot. The team is already loaded as is, and has shown a willingness to go all-in this offseason. The only thing holding them back from signing Encarnacion appears to be Mitch Moreland, which doesn’t seem right. You don’t pass up on signing an elite hitter because you have Mitch Moreland.

The luxury tax would be a problem. There’s no way around that. The Red Sox are already up against the tax as is. Adding Encarnacion would pretty much guarantee they’ll pay a penalty in 2017. But, in this scenario, the Red Sox are completely selling out to win in 2017. They are making moves now and dealing with the consequences later. That might not be logical, but it would give them a fantastic team.

Look, the Red Sox don’t need Encarnacion. They are going to contend with or without him. He would, however, give them an embarrassment of riches and make them clear World Series favorites in the American League. Encarnacion would be a luxury in Boston and … well … isn’t that what the luxury tax is for?

WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK
Cleveland Indians
Texas Rangers

Logically, these are the two teams that would benefit most from signing Encarnacion. Both the Indians and Rangers should make the playoffs in 2017, and Encarnacion could be the one piece that pushes them to World Series titles. While bringing him in makes sense, there are issues with both teams.

For the Indians, it’s whether they can afford him. The Indians aren’t a big market team, and haven’t spent significant money on a free-agent since … Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. That was a long time ago. But with the team on the verge of its first championship in a long time, it might make sense to open up the vault and spend everything on Encarnacion. With Mike Napoli leaving in free agency, Cleveland has a clear need at DH. Encarnacion is not only the perfect fit, but he’s the one piece that puts them over the edge.

The same can be said of the Rangers. Texas looks like a playoff team in 2017, and has a clear need at the position. Some combination of Jurickson Profar and Joey Gallo will be used at first and DH next year if the team doesn’t add anyone else. Profar hasn’t quite lived up to expectations just yet, and Gallo remains unproven in the majors. Signing Encarnacion gives the Rangers a sure thing at first, and allows them to utilize one of the most fearsome lineups in baseball. The only issue here seems to be … money, we guess? While Encarnacion won’t come cheap, winning a World Series is priceless.

Flags fly forever, right?

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik