MLB Hot Stove: Tigers ruled out for Yoenis Cespedes and Alex Gordon

The Detroit Tigers appear to be out of the running on any of the big name free agent outfielders, including Yoenis Cespedes and Alex Gordon.

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila has announced that the team will not pursue free agent outfielders Yoenis Cespedes or Alex Gordon. It was reported that the team could potentially pursue one of the premier free agents on the market, but that search will not continue.

The team will likely turn to in-house options to fill the spot now. All-Star J.D. Martinez is firmly entrenched in right field, while the tandem of Anthony Gose and the recently acquired Cameron Maybin are slated to handle center field duties. The left field job could fall to Tyler Collins or Steven Moya now, unless Detroit decides to delve into cheaper options along the free agent landscape.

Cespedes played for the Tigers for the majority of 2015, before being moved to the New York Mets in at the trade deadline. He hit .293 with 18 home runs and drove in 61 runs in 102 games. As a member of the Kansas City Royals, Gordon was a long-time inner division rival for the Tigers.

Despite the fact that in the past the Tigers have often operated with an open checkbook in regards to acquiring marquee free agents, they have decided against continuing that trend for the time being. Owner Mike Ilitch had previously stated that Jordan Zimmermann would be the team’s only blockbuster deal this winter, and that other additions would be of a lower profile –and price tag.

Both Cespedes and Gordon represent likely $100 million commitments, and have been rumored to be aligned with a number of teams, despite no clear leader emerging from the pack.

The Anaheim Angels have been closely aligned with Cespedes thus far, while the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and a return to the Kansas City Royals have all been mentioned as possibilities for Gordon.