Report: Padres clear favorites to sign Hosmer
The San Diego Padres' pursuit of free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer appears to be going in the right direction.
San Diego has become the clear-cut favorite to land the 28-year-old after meeting with him in person twice, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.
The Boston Red Sox are "still lurking," Nightengale adds.
Hosmer is reportedly seeking a deal in the 10-year, $200-million range. That's quite the price tag for the small-market Padres, who had a payroll of around $92 million last season.
San Diego's interest in the four-time Gold Glove winner has remained strong throughout the offseason, as the Padres believe he can lead the club while it rebuilds.
Hosmer was a leader on the field and in the clubhouse for the Kansas City Royals when they appeared in two consecutive World Series in 2014 and '15 - winning the title in '15.
The first baseman is also durable. He appeared in all 162 games for the Royals last season, and he's never played fewer than 128 games in a campaign.
Over seven years in the bigs, Hosmer owns a .284/.342/.439 slash line with 127 home runs and 566 RBIs.