Adrian Beltre may be a little bit closer to finding a new home.
According to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, the Athletics have withdrawn their name in the running for the free-agent third baseman, and the Angels are now the front-runners to land him.
The Angels were long thought to be a potential landing place for Beltre. With the A's dropping out, and the Rangers reportedly lukewarm to the idea of signing Beltre, Anaheim may be where Beltre ends up. When you add in the fact that the Angels want to upgrade offensively, especially after missing out on Carl Crawford, it makes even more sense.
Beltre and agent Scott Boras have turned down several reported offers from the A's. According to Rosenthal, the third baseman and his representation are still looking for a deal in the neighborhood of five years and $85 million.
While most of the talk surrounding Beltre has linked him to AL West clubs, Rosenthal points out that teams like the Orioles and Blue Jays could also be darkhorses to land Beltre.
