After the Orioles’ season-ending loss to the Texas Rangers, just a few of their pending free brokers had been requested whether or not they wished to stay with the membership in 2024.
Veterans Adam Frazier and Aaron Hicks mentioned they did — it could have been unwise to say in any other case — however whether or not that’s so is maybe extra as much as the Orioles’ brass than the gamers.
“Of course, man,” Hicks mentioned earlier this month. “This roster is loaded with a bunch of young talent that obviously has enough grit and talent to get all the way to the postseason. With this opportunity for them to be able to play in the postseason for the first time is awesome. I think that this would be a great place for me to land if given the opportunity.”
“I would love to be,” Frazier mentioned after the Game 3 loss within the American League Division Series. “Like I said, it’s a lot of special baseball players in this room, a lot of great people. It makes it easy to go to work every day. … I would love to continue being a part of that, for sure.”
The roster that received 101 video games in 2023 will largely be again subsequent 12 months, however there might be new names and faces — a undeniable fact that veteran pitcher Kyle Gibson articulated after the ALDS sweep.
“For the most part, we’ll never be together again,” Gibson mentioned. “So you try to enjoy every moment you can, and I think we did a really good job of maximizing the fun and the relationships we have. But these guys will be friends for a long time, whether I’m on their team or not.”
Last offseason, the Orioles didn’t carry again veterans Jordan Lyles, Rougned Odor and Robinson Chirinos, as a substitute including upgrades in Gibson, Frazier and James McCann, whom they acquired in a commerce with the New York Mets. Could the identical occur this offseason?
Hicks, Frazier and Gibson are three of the Orioles’ 5 pending free brokers, together with right-handers Shintaro Fujinami and Jack Flaherty. MLB free company opens 5 days after the World Series ends, however in that window, the Orioles can negotiate with their free brokers. Here’s who might return in 2024, ranked from least to almost certainly.
Adam Frazier
It’s not arduous to recall Frazier’s significance to the 2023 Orioles.
He was maybe probably the most clutch hitter on probably the most clutch crew within the AL. The Orioles’ success with runners in scoring place and in high-leverage conditions vaulted them to the highest of the AL East, and lots of the membership’s largest hits got here off Frazier’s bat. His 13 homers and 60 RBIs had been each profession highs. Despite that, Frazier, whom the Orioles signed for $8 million final offseason, is unlikely to return in 2024.
He will enter his age-32 season coming off a marketing campaign during which he hit .240 with a .696 OPS, and the Orioles have loads of infield choices to interchange him. Infielders Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg are already within the large leagues, high 100 prospect Joey Ortiz debuted in 2023 and second baseman Connor Norby put up spectacular numbers in Triple-A. Oh, and 19-year-old Jackson Holliday can be ready within the wings, hoping to earn a spot on Baltimore’s opening day roster.
It’s time for the membership’s stockpile of younger gamers to totally take over the Orioles’ infield.
Jack Flaherty
Like Frazier, Flaherty returning could be a shock.
The Orioles gave up three prospects ranked contained in the group’s high 20 — however outdoors its high 10 — by Baseball America for Flaherty on the commerce deadline, however the right-hander didn’t pan out. The former St. Louis Cardinal posted a 6.75 ERA in 34 2/3 innings with the Orioles down the stretch and misplaced his spot within the beginning rotation.
However, his poor efficiency means his value has fallen. Orioles government vp and basic supervisor Mike Elias has but handy out a multiyear contract to a free agent throughout his tenure, and given Flaherty’s struggles, it’s attainable he takes a one-year deal to get his profession again on observe earlier than testing the market once more.
Kyle Gibson
If the Orioles carry again a beginning pitcher, it’s seemingly extra prone to be Gibson than Flaherty.
The $10 million Baltimore gave Gibson final offseason to stabilize its rotation was the biggest contract Elias has handed out to a free agent since taking on the Orioles’ entrance workplace in November 2018. That cash was largely properly spent, as Gibson pitched 192 innings and led the crew with 15 wins.
But he didn’t have the complete bounce-back season he and the Orioles had been hoping for, with the 11-year veteran posting a 4.73 ERA. That might put Gibson in the identical boat he was in final winter: searching for a one-year contract to supply veteran help for a rotation.
Given his steadying presence this 12 months, it’s attainable the Orioles go in for one more 12 months of Gibson. It’s extra probably, although, that one other pitcher is introduced in to bolster the rotation or that left-hander John Means, who expects to enter spring coaching wholesome and prepared for a full workload, will function the rotation’s veteran chief. Without Gibson, the Orioles have at the least seven rotation candidates — Means, Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Dean Kremer, Cole Irvin, Tyler Wells and DL Hall — in addition to the membership’s Nos. 2, 3 and 4 pitching prospects (Cade Povich, Chayce McDermott and Justin Armbruester) in Triple-A.
Aaron Hicks
Of the Orioles’ 5 pending free brokers, Hicks carried out one of the best.
After a dismal previous three seasons with New York, the veteran outfielder signed with Baltimore in late May after being launched by the Yankees. He then rejuvenated his profession by being one of many Orioles’ greatest hitters over the season’s remaining 4 months with a .381 on-base share and .806 OPS, though he missed a while with two stints on the injured listing.
A switch-hitting outfielder with a plus arm who can play all three spots is engaging for any crew’s bench, particularly for an Orioles membership with outfielders Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins who’ve handled their fair proportion of accidents. With the Yankees paying his wage by 2025, Hicks will probably be signed for the league minimal wherever he goes, which makes him a candidate to return to Baltimore but in addition a low-cost possibility for the remainder of the league.
Like Frazier, Hicks’ presence would probably block a prospect who appears worthy of a spot within the large leagues, as children Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad each debuted in 2023. During Elias’ end-of-season information convention, he was requested if it was attainable for each left-handed hitting outfielders to make the Orioles’ opening day roster. His response: “Yeah.”
Shintaro Fujinami
Similar to his unpredictable efficiency, there may be a case for Fujinami to be the least probably on this listing.
His inconsistency since becoming a member of the Orioles by way of commerce in July was tough to handle, because the flamethrower was at instances a high-leverage possibility and others solely usable in blowouts. He posted a 4.85 ERA in 29 2/3 innings with the Orioles, ending the season poorly sufficient to be left off the ALDS roster.
Fujinami has mentioned he desires to be a beginning pitcher, however it’s unlikely an MLB crew will give the Japan native that chance. As a reliever in search of a bounce-back season, he’ll probably be one of many least costly of the Orioles’ 5 free brokers.
His volatility is irritating, however the upside stays, and with nearer Félix Bautista sidelined for all of 2024, it could make sense to chase Fujinami’s potential. Amid his struggles was a dominant stretch during which he pitched to a 1.35 ERA in 13 1/3 innings with 16 strikeouts versus simply two walks. The 29-year-old additionally accustomed himself properly to the Orioles’ clubhouse and his fellow relievers within the bullpen, crediting them for calming him down and giving him the boldness to throw extra strikes.
Still, although, it may be extra probably than not that Fujinami pitches elsewhere subsequent 12 months and that this offseason is just like final with not one of the Orioles’ free brokers returning.
Baltimore Sun reporter Nathan Ruiz contributed to this text.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com