Twins Free Agent Rumors: Rajai Davis Close to Signing with Tigers

While the addition of Rajai Davis would have been a marginal improvement for the Twins in terms of overall talent, he still would have constituted - you guessed it - that marginal improvement. But it sounds like Davis will eschew the Twins in favor of the contending Detroit Tigers.

Source: Rajai Davis close to signing 2-year contract with Tigers. @Foxsports1

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 10, 2013

Looking at the Twins' 40-man roster, there are plenty of players who don't move well in the corners: Josh Willingham, Oswaldo Arcia (who will probably get better), Chris Parmelee, Chris Colabello, Ryan Doumit. Adding Davis to a group of more nimble outfielders (Darin Mastroianni, Alex Presley, Aaron Hicks) would have given the Twins more options for a better defensive outfield.

Yet when you look at Detroit's 40-man roster, they might have just as much opportunity for the 33-year old speedster. Torii Hunter is 38 years old, Don Kelly and Andy Dirks had awful years, and a trio of others born in the 1990s don't seem to be ready for full-time duties. Somebody has to play with Austin Jackson, right?

Indeed, the Tigers are eyeing a platoon in left field. Davis, as it was reported on the Tigers website last night, is one of the targeted players who could make up that platoon with Dirks.

The Winter Meetings roll on.