One veteran free agent has seen very little interest in him during the offseason, but he’s hoping it changes. Shane Victorino didn’t impress last season for both the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels, and yet it’ll be surprising if he doesn’t get picked up at some point before the 2016 MLB season begins.
Victorino, who turned 35 a month ago, was traded from Boston to Anaheim last season but that didn’t help him or the team that acquired him. He ended up hitting .230 in 2015, his lowest since 2003, and his OBP of .308 is consistent with his disappointing 2014, well below his career average, built up over better years both in Boston and in Philadelphia.
It wasn’t too long ago that Victorino could be seen as quite a valuable asset for teams. He won the gold glove for his work in the outfield in 2013, helping the Red Sox win a third World Series in 10 seasons. He also hit 15 home runs that year, but since then has only three, while playing a total of just 101 games in 2014 and 2015 combined.
Victorino’s agent is telling everyone there are a couple of teams interested in him, but that may be just to stir up some interest in the somewhat washed up player, whose defense still remains very good, but it might not be enough to get him a deal right now. He made $13 million a season in each of the last three, and it’s going to take some getting used to when he signs his next deal for a lot less money, and probably for just one year.