Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that Jeff Francis is starting to attract more interest from teams looking for starting pitching help.

Crasnick says the Mariners, Reds, Blue Jays and Mets are among the clubs "keeping tabs" on the left-hander. Francis compiled a 4.82 ERA and 91/39 K/BB ratio in 183 innings this past season for the Royals but did prove to be durable in making 31 starts. With multiple teams showing interest, it sounds like he should be able to net a guaranteed deal.

According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, the Cubs have talked to free agent left-handers Jeff Francis and Paul Maholm.

We have heard about Maholm, but Francis is a new one. The 30-year-old left-hander compiled a 4.82 ERA and 91/39 K/BB ratio in 183 innings this past season for the Royals. Either would fill a spot in the backend of the starting rotation, though the Cubs would have less urgency to sign them if they land Travis Wood in a trade with the Reds.

Jeff Francis' agent is scheduled to meet with Pirates, Marlins and Twins at some point this week.

The Mariners have also been linked to the veteran lefty. Francis posted a pedestrian 4.82 ERA and 91/39 K/BB ratio in 183 innings this past season for the Royals, but the market for available starting pitching is bleak.

According to FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi, the Pirates are among the teams with interest in Jeff Francis.

The 30-year-old free agent left-hander is also drawing interest from the Twins and Rockies. Francis posted a pedestrian 4.82 ERA and 91/39 K/BB ratio over 183 innings for the Royals in 2011, but he'd make a fine back-end starter in either Pittsburgh, Minnesota or Colorado.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reports that the Twins have had initial talks with a representative for free agent Jeff Francis.

The Twins view Francis as a fallback option now that Chris Capuano has signed with the Dodgers. Talks with Francis appear preliminary in nature, but they should have further discussions during the Winter Meetings next week in Dallas. The 30-year-old southpaw posted a 4.82 ERA and 91/39 K/BB ratio over 183 innings with the Royals this season. Morosi notes that the Twins also have interest in free agent right-hander Edwin Jackson, but they are concerned that his asking price will be too high. He's probably not a very realistic option in the first place.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the Rockies are interested in bringing back free agent starter Jeff Francis.

Francis spent all of his career in the Rockies organization up until this past year when he signed with the Royals. He posted a 4.82 ERA and 1.44 WHIP but did stay healthy for 31 starts, which is notable after he missed a good chunk of the previous three years with shoulder issues. Francis has said that he's open to returning to Denver.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore told Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star that he hasn't dismissed the possibility of re-signing free agent left-hander Jeff Francis.

"We're still open-minded with that," said Moore. "We'll have to see how the rest of the free-agent market unfolds. You can't discount the innings that Jeff Francis gave up last year." Francis, who turns 31 in February, posted a 4.82 ERA and 91/39 K/BB ratio over 183 innings with the Royals this season. Dutton suspects that the southpaw is likely a fallback option if they are unsuccessful in their efforts to re-sign Bruce Chen.

Jeff Francis was victorious in his final start of the season Thursday, limiting the White Sox to two runs on eight hits and two walks over six innings in a 7-2 win.

He struck out a pair. The Royals want to keep Francis' innings in check this year as this is easily the most work he's had since 2007. It's just his second win since the beginning of August and just his four quality starts in 12 outings after the break. A free agent this offseason, Francis' year concludes with a 6-16 record, 4.82 ERA and 1.44 WHIP.

The Royals plan to shut down Jeff Francis after Thursday's start against the White Sox.

Francis, 30, has a 4.88 ERA over 30 starts this season. He has 177 innings under his belt, which is his biggest workload since the 2007 season. The veteran southpaw will be a free agent this offseason.

Jeff Francis fell to 5-15 on Sunday, allowing four runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings of Kansas City's 9-6 setback against the Indians.

He failed to record a strikeout for just the second time in 29 starts this season. Now the owner of a 4.72 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 89/37 K/BB ratio through 173 2/3 innings, Francis will get the Mariners in Seattle on Friday.

Jeff Francis threw 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball Tuesday, allowing only two hits and a walk, but was stuck with a no-decision in Kansas City's 10-inning loss to Detroit.

Francis can't buy a break, though he was opposite one of the major's other tough-luck pitchers, Doug Fister, who also received a no-decision despite a well-pitched game. Francis has won just twice in his last 14 outings, but at least he earned his third quality start in his last nine trips to the hill.

Jeff Francis picked up a rare win Thursday, permitting two runs on six hits and three walks over six innings in a 9-6 victory over the Blue Jays.

He struck out five and didn't allow any runs to cross the plate until a two-run shot from J.P. Arencibia in the seventh inning. It's only Francis' fifth win of the year and just his second in his last 13 outings. He also has just two quality starts in his last eight trips to the hill. Francis will bring a 4.82 ERA into next week's start against the Tigers.

Jeff Francis was lit up by the Red Sox Friday, giving up five runs on 11 hits and two walks over five innings.

He struck out just one and served up a three-run shot to Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The veteran left-hander has now permitted double-digit hits in three of his last four starts and has given up a total of 21 runs over that time to push his ERA all the way up to 4.89, the highest it's been since early May. Francis has another tough matchup next week in Toronto.

Jeff Francis got shelled by the White Sox on Sunday, allowing six runs on 10 hits and two walks in just 3 2/3 innings of a Royals loss.

Francis' bad afternoon drops him to 4-13 on the season, and balloons his ERA from 4.51 to 4.76. The non-quality start was his fifth in sixth outings. He has a tough matchup lined up for Friday, where he will get the Red Sox at home.

Jeff Francis dropped to 4-12 after allowing four runs in seven innings Tuesday against the Rays.

He struck out four, walked none and gave up five hits, including a two-run homer to Evan Longoria. Longo was a major thorn in Francis' side, as he drove in all four runs scored in the game. Now the owner of a 4.51 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, Francis will get the White Sox on the road this weekend.

The Royals are fielding calls on starting pitchers Jeff Francis, Bruce Chen and Kyle Davies, according to the Kansas City Star's Bob Dutton.

All three are backup options for contenders, according to Dutton, and any deal involving them wouldn't happen until Sunday's deadline. Francis is just 4-11, but his 4.38 ERA and 1.33 WHIP aren't bad. There are worse fifth starters on a few contenders. The same goes for Chen, who had a 3.30 ERA before he got knocked around by the Red Sox in his last start and saw it balloon to 4.29. We can't imagine a contender would have interest in Davies.

Jeff Francis shut out the Indians for eight innings to earn his fourth win Friday.

This will make him a bit more interesting as a trade possibility. Francis is just 4-11, but his 4.38 ERA and 1.33 WHIP aren't too bad. There are worse fifth starters on a few contenders.

Jeff Francis allowed two runs on four hits in six innings of work on Sunday, getting out-dueled by Justin Verlander in Kansas City's 2-1 loss to the Tigers.

He struck out six and walked one in falling to 3-10 on the season. He's deserved most of those losses, but he didn't today. Through 19 starts and 115 1/3 innings, he is now the owner of a 4.60 ERA and 1.35 WHIP.

Jeff Francis allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings of work on Monday evening, taking a no-decision in Chicago's 5-4 loss to the White Sox.

Francis also had the indignity of allowing a hit to Adam Dunn, making him just the second left-hander all season to do so. He struck out four and walked none in his second quality start in three outings. Now the owner of a 4.69 ERA and 1.38 WHIP, Francis will get the Tigers at home this weekend.

Jeff Francis dropped to 3-9 after allowing four runs -- three earned -- in five innings Monday against the Padres.

Francis, a longtime Rockies starter, fell to 5-13 against the Padres in his career. He's 53-46 against everyone else. After a nice May, the left-hander has struggled of late, losing four of his five starts this month. The Royals will stick with him, but there's little reason for fantasy leaguers to do the same.