MLB Rumors: Seiya Suzuki Suitors Include Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs, Giants, More

According to Jon Heyman of the MLB Network, the Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are expected to be the hottest pursuers of Suzuki.

The Texas Rangers were thought to be in the running as well, though they have since hit free agency hard, signing Marcus Semien andCorey Seager.

Jon Morosi @jonmorosi

In the Seiya Suzuki market, the #Rangers are seen as one of the most serious suitors, in the opinion of rival executives. Suzuki, the 27-year-old outfielder, is expected to move from NPB to @MLB this offseason. @MLBNetwork

It remains to be seen if the Rangers spending spree will continue in earnest.

Suzuki will have a vibrant market. In 134 games for the Hiroshima Carp last season, the All-Star hit.317 with 38 homers, 88RBI, 77 runs and a 1.069 OPS.

He had a 30-day window to negotiate with teams after he was posted by the team. The league owners locked out the players in December.

He told Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic in January that he was still thinking about which team to pick. A lot of the teams hit my heart, so I can not sleep every night. I still have to think about it.

Any team in need of outfield help with the budget to make a splashy signing in free agency will likely be in pursuit. Nick Castellanos, Kris Bryant, Michael Conforto, Kyle Schwarber, and Andrew McCutchen are some of the top outfielders remaining unsigned.

The right-fielders are valuable. While Suzuki is unknown at the MLB level, players who post their level of production in Japan tend to translate.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Jay Jackson, who played with Suzuki for three seasons in Japan, said last year that he was an unbelievable talent. You could see plate discipline getting there as his eye got better. I think he will be good if he gets with the coaches over here. He will be really good.