Mid-tier pitchers are signing, the Orioles name their Triple-A manager, and how to add a right-handed veteran.
Good Morning, Birdland!
Team executives, agents, and players will be descending on Dallas this weekend ahead of the Winter Meetings, which begin on Monday. The expectation is that Juan Soto, the jewel of the free agent market, will pick his destination any day now. Once that happens, the rest of the high-end talents should start to sign, and the trade market could be unleashed as well.
This has become a rather common—and annoying—offseason cadence. The big money rarely gets spent until after the Winter Meetings, and then there is a flurry before the end of the year.
But that doesn’t mean things have been entirely quiet in MLB, especially on the pitching front. Frankie Montas inked a deal with the Mets. The Athletics gave Luis Severino a big contract. Shane Bieber returned to the Guardians. And the Mets are going to try and convert former Yankees closer Clay Holmes into a starter.
Now, none of those players would have filled the Orioles’ hole at the very top of their rotation. But they would have been intriguing mid-rotation options, something the O’s may still be in the market for this winter, albeit at smaller price tags.
What those deals do further illustrate is that the pitching market is insane. Montas had a 4.84 ERA in 2024, made just one start in 2023, and was pretty terrible for the Yankees in 2022. His new contract will pay him $17 million each of the next two seasons. Holmes hasn’t started a game since 2018, but is going to be paid $13 million a season anyway. Severino has had an up-and-down career and is about to turn 31. He’s getting over $22 million per year. If you want even a serviceable arm in this market, you are going to pay a lot. The ace-level starters are going to get PAID.
The Orioles have been broadly tied to every significant arm, including free agents Corbin Burnes and Max Fried plus current White Sox ace Garrett Crochet. Clearly, they are big game hunting. But with the big bank accounts of the Yankees and Mets swimming in the same waters it’s tough to get too confident that something good will happen.
Links
Orioles Outright Thaddeus Ward | MLB Trade Rumors
It is helpful to have pitchers in your minor league system that have major league experience, no matter how limited it may be. Ward checks that box, and now he isn’t occupying a 40-man roster spot. Useful!
What if the Orioles have to get creative to add the right-handed bat they covet? | The Baltimore Banner
A fun thought exercise on how the Orioles could finagle the addition of various veteran, right-hander hitters. There is perhaps no perfect fit, but a lot of ways to organize the Jenga pieces together.
Federowicz hired as Norfolk Tides manager | Roch Kubatko
Another former catcher gets a managerial job. Tim Federowicz comes to the O’s organization after managing the Detroit Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate in 2024. Given how much the Tigers have improved in the last year, that feels like reasonable fit.
Basallo, Mayo and the chances of signing Sasaki | Baltimore Baseball
There’s a lot of “could be” or “has a chance to” sort of statements in this interview about the O’s top prospects. That’s sort of the expectation for young players. Nothing is guaranteed.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
- Rich Coggins turns 74 today. The outfielder spent three years in Baltimore from 1972-74. He had the best year of his career in ‘73, when he slashed .319/.363/.463 with seven homers, 19 doubles, nine triples, and 17 stolen bases. He was part of the package sent to the Expos in 1974 for Ken Singleton and Mike Torrez.
- The late Hall Smith (b. 1930, d. 2020) was born on this day. His MLB career began in 1955 with the Orioles. Over two years in Baltimore he accumulated 0.7 bWAR and was then dealt to the Athletics for Joe Ginsberg.
This day in history
1977 – The Orioles trade pitchers Rudy May and Randy Miller to the Expos for pitcher Don Stanhouse, pitcher Joe Kerrigan, and outfielder Gary Roenicke.
2001 – Brady Anderson re-signs with the Orioles on a one-year deal, staying with the club for a 14th consecutive season.