3 Best remaining MLB free agents not named Manny Machado or Bryce Harper

At the time of this writing, the two crown jewels of this offseason's free agent class (Manny Machado and Bryce Harper) have yet to be signed. However, we've seen plenty of top free agent dominos fall thus far.

Though the majority of top position players have already found themselves a home, the market for big-time pitchers (both starters and relievers) seems to have died down a bit in recent weeks compared to when free agency opened. This can primarily be attributed to the fact that there really only remains one top shelf starter and two elite relievers left on the market (more on them to come).

2017 Offseason vs 2018 Offseason

This offseason free-agency period has certainly shown an uptick from last year, where the vast majority of teams simply refused to dish out big money (even to elite and proven stars). On the contrary, this season has shown multiple teams already dig deep into their pockets (looking at you Washington) and two teams (Phillies and White Sox) that are on record saying they are willing to break the bank to bring in elite talent.

That said, teams are still spending smart for the most part. While big money has been thrown around, teams have shown reluctance to even meet the (admittedly lofty) expectations that players like Machado and Harper have set for themselves. Payroll management is at an all-time high and long gone are the days of teams simply putting blank checks in front of players and hoping for the best.

If there is one thing we can take away from these past two offseason periods, it is that super-agents like Scott Boras don't seem to have the same pull in front offices around the MLB and that teams are getting increasingly comfortable turning Boras and similar agents outlandish demands away at the door.

So who is still left?

Although there remain a strong crop of serviceable role players still available on the market, these three players have the ability to drastically change the future of whatever team they find themselves on. However, they may not be finding themselves a home until after the Machado/Harper duo makes their respective decisions.

Now let's take a look at the best remaining free agent targets on the market:

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#1 Craig Kimbrel - RP

Craig Kimbrel in action in the World Series - Boston Red Sox v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Four

Coming off a World Series championship and boasting one of the most impressive resumes of any closer in baseball history, Kimbrel is unquestionably the biggest name reliever available on the market. A 7-time All-Star who has led the league in saves 4 times with a career ERA of 1.91, it is safe to say that Kimbrel would come with a fairly high price tag for any potential suitors.

Potential landing spots

Boston Red Sox

Seeing as Kimbrel just won a ring in Boston and late-inning swingman Joe Kelly left for greener pastures, the Red Sox desperately need to bring back help to shore up their bullpen. The Red Sox aren't thrilled about the price tag attached to Kimbrel and as a result, are letting him feel out the market in the hopes that other teams feel the same and they can pick him up on a team-friendly deal.

Even if someone DOES offer Kimbrel that 6-year deal he desperately wants, I would be shocked if the Red Sox didn't try to counter and keep Kimbrel around. An integral piece to their World Series run, the Red Sox bullpen will be hung out to dry should they lose Kimbrel as well.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves first gave Kimbrel his shot in the big leagues and now look to bring him back after his successful stint in Boston. The Braves had a surprisingly strong season last year and have already made some moves to help bolster the overall team.

Providing a lights-out singular closer as opposed to the "closer by committee" approach used last season could help to open up the bullpen and allow Atlanta to take a significant strain off their starters.

All that said, Kimbrel wants a 6-year deal and the Braves will almost certainly not offer him that many years. Unless Kimbrel realizes his value on the open market is taking a hit (which it very well could), the Braves are an unlikely spot based off money alone.

St. Louis Cardinals

With former closer Bud Norris hitting free agency himself, the Cardinals are without a doubt in the market for someone to shut the door for their ballclub. Kimbrel would be a major step up from Norris.

The Cardinals boast one of the stronger starting rotations in the league and with money to spend, they seem like a prime landing spot for Kimbrel and his services.

St. Louis didn't miss the playoffs by much last season, and the addition of Kimbrel would undoubtedly push them into the role of a serious contender in the NL Central. This one will mainly come down to if the notoriously cheap Cardinals decide to pay up or continue to be frugal in their additions.

#2 Dallas Keuchel - SP

Dallas Keuchel, League Championship Series - Boston Red Sox v Houston Astros - Game Three

Consistently one of the league's most dominant starting pitchers (except his 2016 outlier season), Keuchel hits the free agent market with a price tag bested by those of only Machado and Harper. A former Cy Young winner, Keuchel has made a career of pitching to contact and inducing weak ground balls, making him an ideal fit for quite a few teams looking for a front-line starter.

Potential landing spots

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are on a spending spree this offseason. Having already signed elite reliever David Robertson to a 2 year $23 million contract and with their sights set on both Manny Machado AND Bryce Harper, the Phillies are making a statement that they want to compete for a championship next season. The Phillies are very interested in Kuechel, but are likely holding off on actively pursuing him until after the Machado/Harper fiasco has settled down.

Adding Kuechel would give the Phillies a front line of Aaron Nola, Jake Arrieta, and Kuechel; immediately offering them one of the strongest rotations on paper. However, the one holdup here is that the Phillies are reluctant to give Keuchel a 5-year deal, something he is actively pursuing. That said, assuming the Phillies don't land BOTH Machado and Harper, something tells me these two sides will come to an agreement.

Cincinnati Reds

Playing in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the league, Kuechel would be a great fit for this Reds rotation given his unmatched ability to induce ground ball contact. The Reds have made some moves to add middle of the rotation arms Tanner Roark and Alex Wood. Adding Kuechel gives them an ace to pair with Roark, Wood, and the rest of their homegrown talent.

Cincinnati definitely has the money but will likely need to break out the chequebook and blow other offers away in order to entice Kuechel into coming to Cincinnati. The Reds offer him the toughest path to the World Series out of his potential suitors, so they will need to get creative in their pitch to lure Kuechel to the Queen City.

Milwaukee Brewers

With recent news breaking of the Brewers interest in moving for an ace starter, it should come as no surprise that the Brewers find themselves on this list. However, this is probably one of the more unlikely options.

One of the biggest reasons as to why the Brewers are interested in Madison Bumgarner is his EXTREMELY low price tag going into next season. Compare that to what Dallas Kuechel will command on the open market and you have a bit of a discrepancy. The Brewers just spent a boatload of money last offseason so unless the Brewers break protocol here, Kuechel to Milwaukee seems to be more of a pipe-dream.

#3 Adam Ottavino - RP

Adam Ottavino, Divisional Round - Colorado Rockies v Milwaukee Brewers - Game One

Outside of an off-year in 2017 while he was working back from Tommy John surgery, Adam Ottavino has quietly been one of the league's best bullpen arms since 2013. Even more impressive, Ottavino has spent his entire career in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field yet has only posted an ERA over the 3.00 mark twice (one of which came immediately after his injury) in his past 6 seasons.

Potential landing spots

Boston Red Sox

Regardless of the Kimbrel situation, the Red Sox are (rightfully so) interested in the underrated reliever. Losing Joe Kelly and his late-inning versatility hurt the bullpen big time, and the Red Sox are looking for an arm to replace that role. Ottavino fits that mold perfectly.

Bringing back Kimbrel and Ottavino would be pricey, but the Red Sox know they need quality late-game arms in order to have even the slightest chance at repeating as champions. While they may have to spend a bit more than they would like to shore up the pen, the Red Sox desprately need Ottavino's arm and Ottavino gets to stay with a world series contender.

Chicago White Sox

Arguably one of the most active teams the past week or so, the White Sox have put the full-blown blitz on Manny Machado, even going so far as to sign his two childhood best friends to give them a leg up. They've already made some bullpen moves to start, but landing Ottavino would go a long ways towards showing Machado that the team actually has the components to compete today (and not 3 years down the road).

Money-wise, there shouldn't be an issue in the slightest. The White Sox have gobs of money to throw around this offseason and seem to be in the mood to spend every last cent of it. However, whether Ottavino wants to take a step down to a "non-contender" is another story altogether and makes the White Sox a bit of a murky choice.

New York Yankees

A very distant third, the Yankees could use Ottavino as a replacement for the loss of David Robertson. Given the Yankees unwillingness to pay for Robertson and preference to re-sign Zach Britton though, this move will likely only become a reality should Machado choose to sign elsewhere.

Should Machado sign elsewhere, the Yankees would have a considerable chunk of change to work with and bringing Ottavino on should fit within their payroll expectations seamlessly. However, with the Red Sox in desperate need for bullpen arms, Ottavino may not still be available once Machado finally makes his decision.