The MLB winter conferences start subsequent week in Nashville. As is usually the case, they may very well be the spark the game’s offseason wants.
The Orioles’ stage of involvement is to be decided. Coming off 101 wins and an American League East title, Baltimore has wants, notably on the prime of its rotation and the again of its bullpen. Upgrades can be found via each free company and trades, and given the Orioles’ deep minor league system and the way they’ve operated financially of late — ending with a backside three payroll every of the previous 5 seasons, in accordance with Spotrac — the latter may be their greatest method to bettering the roster.
That mentioned, there can be found free brokers who make sense for the Orioles. As it stands, their most obvious areas of want are beginning pitching, reduction pitching and right-handed outfield depth. With every week to go till the winter conferences, right here’s a take a look at potential free-agent suits for Baltimore.
Top-of-rotation starters
At the General Manager Meetings earlier this month, Mike Elias instructed MLB.com he would ideally add “somebody that projects for the front half of the rotation.” But it’s price remembering that Elias mentioned on the earlier yr’s GM Meetings he was focusing on a starter for the “top three spots in the rotation,” and though Kyle Gibson’s veteran standing made him the Orioles’ opening day starter, neither he nor fellow offseason acquisition Cole Irvin began any of Baltimore’s three playoff video games.
The hope is that this winter ends with the Orioles including a starter with an undisputed place close to the highest of the rotation. Whether it’s due to an unwillingness or an lack of ability, Baltimore doubtless gained’t present a contract of the size or measurement required to signal prime remaining accessible starters Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Jordan Montgomery. Regardless, the franchise may be higher served if it reserved its self-imposed restricted variety of nine-figure offers for extensions for catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson.
Sonny Gray
Signing Gray would give the Orioles’ rotation two of the highest 4 finishers in 2023 AL Cy Young Award voting. Gray, who had a 2.79 ERA in 32 begins for the Minnesota Twins, completed because the runner-up to New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, whereas Baltimore’s Kyle Bradish got here in fourth. In 9 full seasons since 2014, Gray, 34, has averaged virtually 28 begins and greater than 161 innings with a 3.50 ERA. Gray trailed solely Cy Young winners Cole and Snell in repertoire run worth in 2023, in accordance with Baseball Savant; Bradish ranked sixth.
Eduardo Rodriguez
Baseball America had Rodriguez because the Orioles’ No. 3 prospect getting into the 2014 season, throughout which Baltimore traded him to the Boston Red Sox for reliever Andrew Miller. The left-hander, who turns 31 in April, has made greater than 30 begins solely twice in eight main league seasons however is coming off posting profession lows with a 3.30 ERA and 1.153 WHIP in 26 begins for the Detroit Tigers. To develop into a free agent, Rodriguez opted out of the ultimate three years and $49 million of his cope with Detroit.
Lucas Giolito
Giolito is not any assure to suit into the higher half of Baltimore’s rotation. From 2019 to 2021, he completed within the prime 11 of AL Cy Young voting every season, rating seventh amongst certified starters in FanGraphs’ model of wins above substitute in that span. But he’s posted an ERA of just about 5.00 over the previous two seasons. His 4.88 mark in 2023 largely derived from 4 disastrous begins during which he allowed a minimum of seven earned runs in 4 or fewer innings; he had a 3.55 ERA in his different 29 begins.
Other choices: Marcus Stroman, Michael Wacha, Brandon Woodruff (unlikely to pitch in 2024)
Closing choices
The Orioles had baseball’s greatest nearer in 2023, however Félix Bautista will doubtless miss all of 2024 after present process Tommy John elbow reconstruction final month. Manager Brandon Hyde took a mix-and-match method after Bautista suffered his damage in late August, with 5 Orioles recording a save. But Elias mentioned including a reliever with closing expertise who might presumably deal with the function for the Orioles can be “really nice.”
The prime reliever accessible is Josh Hader, an Old Mill graduate who was drafted by Baltimore. But he’ll doubtless exceed the Orioles’ value vary, and with Bautista anticipated again in 2025, they gained’t want a long-term nearer, anyway.
Jordan Hicks
Signing Hicks, 27, would doubtless require a multiyear deal, however the hard-throwing right-hander labored in each setup and shutting roles final season with St. Louis and Toronto, that means he might deal with the ninth in 2024 and work earlier when Bautista returns in 2025. One of two pitchers whose common fastball velocity exceeded Bautista’s in 2023, Hicks posted a 3.29 ERA in 65 appearances.
Craig Kimbrel
Kimbrel, 35, has the eighth-most saves in main league historical past, recording a minimum of 22 in all however one full season since 2011. An All-Star final season with the Philadelphia Phillies, Kimbrel had 23 saves with a 3.26 ERA, and his 94 strikeouts ranked third amongst National League relievers. When Kimbrel didn’t miss bats, he was hit onerous, however he nonetheless represents a possible stopgap.
Hector Neris
Another former Phillies nearer, Neris earned 65 saves with Philadelphia from 2017 via 2019. The 34-year-old spent the previous two years with the Astros and had a 1.71 ERA in 2023. He’s made a minimum of 70 appearances every of the previous three years with success towards each righties and lefties.
Other choices: Emilio Pagán, Matt Moore, Yuki Matsui
Right-handed outfielders
Barring a commerce, the Orioles will return their beginning outfield of Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander. They have a number of backup choices already in Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, Ryan McKenna, Kyle Stowers and Sam Hilliard, however solely McKenna is a right-handed batter.
Given Baltimore seems to be set each at catcher and on the infield, including one other right-handed bat to fill the function switch-hitter Aaron Hicks had for many of 2023 is essentially the most obvious method for the Orioles to bolster the offensive aspect of the roster. A participant able to beginning when any of the three regulars are off or obtain a day at designated hitter — that means one able to filling in for Mullins in heart subject — can be excellent.
Aaron Hicks
After struggling immensely on the finish of his tenure with the Yankees, Hicks had quite a lot of success with the Orioles, posting an .806 OPS in 65 video games. The 34-year-old handled accidents and missed a key hit-and-run check in considered one of Baltimore’s postseason losses, however he offered loads of worth, particularly with a 1.072 OPS as a right-handed hitter. New York will nonetheless be paying Hicks in 2024, so any membership can signal him for the league minimal. Another crew may provide extra taking part in time than Baltimore, however he’s already established himself as a veteran match.
Harrison Bader
Another former Yankee, Bader had much more success final yr towards left-handed pitching, with a .936 OPS whereas posting a .503 mark in right-on-right matchups; his profession numbers additionally recommend he may very well be nicely suited to a platoon-type function. Bader, 29, was a Gold Glove winner with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021 and stole 20 bases in 23 tries between New York and Cincinnati final yr, that means he might present worth in a number of methods.
Michael A. Taylor
The identical yr Bader was the NL’s Gold Glove heart fielder, Taylor gained the AL award. The 32-year-old hit a career-high 21 residence runs in 2023, slugging .602 off left-handed pitching within the course of. It’s honest to wonder if any of those outfielders will settle for part-time roles, however the alternative to affix a contending Orioles crew might supersede that so long as the cash is there.
Other choices: Adam Duvall, Tommy Pham, Whit Merrifield
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Source: www.bostonherald.com