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Though the Orioles could still attempt to sign free agent slugger Jose Bautista, the club has “maintained dialogue” with agent Scott Boras about a potential reunion with Pedro Alvarez, according to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe.
The Red Sox were linked to Alvarez earlier this offseason, but a return to Baltimore could make sense for the 29-year old. Cafardo adds the Royals are a team that could also attempt to sign Alvarez.
Alvarez had a productive season with the Orioles in 2016, batting .249/.322/.504 with 22 home runs and 49 RBIs. The market for Alvarez has yet to develop and that might remain true until major bats, such as Bautista, have signed with new clubs.
The Orioles collectively hit .256 last season, but Alvarez proved to be a valuable power threat. There might not be much of a hurry to sign Alvarez, but if the Orioles are unable to land their top targets, he might be a reasonable fallback option.