Zack Greinke could be the next big free agent to sign

According to Jerry Crasnick at ESPN, Greinke is seeking at least $30 million annually and he may want a bit more than that after David Price signed for seven years and $217 million with the Red Sox. Yasiel Puig has also come up in trade rumors this offseason, but Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Dodgers are not expected to move Puig this offseason. Many folks in the baseball ops department who provide input to the decision makers believe Greinke would be a nice fit because of his savvy, IQ and stuff that could hold up through his late 30s. The Giants have affordable, cost-controlled everyday players elsewhere on the roster such as Joe Panik and Matt Duffy, which also helps. The finalists appear the Giants and Dodgers, which means an old-fashioned bidding duel between bitter rivals, a throwback to the peak of the Yankee-Red Sox shenanigans featuring George Steinbrenner’s Evil Empire and the other guys from Boston.

But, after a winter in which the Dodgers passed on signing Lester and Max Scherzer, and after a summer in which the Dodgers passed on trading for Price, Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto, this would be a good time for the Dodgers to land the big fish, instead of just scaring the other teams fishing.

Yes, it’s hard to find a better pitcher right now in baseball, even if he doesn’t do it with enormous strike out counts (8.1 per nine innings), didn’t shut out a team last season or put on too many complete games on his back (two in the last three years).

Mike Leake and Jeff Samardzija are among the Giants’ “Plan B” alternatives if they can’t sign Zack Greinke, a source tells FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. The Detroit Tigers signed right-hander Jordan Zimmermann for a five-year, $110-million contract. He is said to be very interested in becoming a Giant, although the price could surpass $100 million. A team spokesman said that Newcombe was transported by ambulance to a hospital. The World Series champion Royals’ payroll was $151.4 million, and the NL champion Mets were at $122.9 million payroll despite adding $6.42 million to the season-ending bottom line by acquiring Yoenis Cespedes and Juan Uribe.

RHP ZACK GREINKE: Greinke managed to turn the third year of his six-year deal with the Dodgers into a contract drive. The Cubs finished last season with the No. 3 overall team ERA, and Jake Arrieta won the National League Cy Young Award, so this would be an unbelievable pitching staff if the Cubs could bring in Cueto. He s reportedly received a $90 million offer from one club. Why? The Diamondbacks’ starting pitching was below average in 2015, and ultimately undermined one of the better offenses in the league.