The O’s position player group seemed pretty set already, but now they’ve added veteran Dylan Carlson to the mix.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The Orioles, as it turned out, weren’t quite done with their offseason work after all. But their latest addition probably won’t do much to move the needle.
The O’s signed Dylan Carlson to a one-year deal yesterday, tossing him into a crowded outfield mix. On paper it’s a bit of a curious signing. For one thing, Carlson is not a pitcher, the area of the team that the O’s were thought to be prioritizing (not that they couldn’t still do so). For another, Carlson has not been particularly good in a number of years, prompting the Rays to non-tender him after acquiring him midseason from the Cardinals. Since finishing third in the NL Rookie of the Year race after a breakout 2021 campaign, Carlson has gotten steadily worse each season, posting a negative WAR (-1.2) in 2024.
As Mark Brown notes, the switch-hitting Carlson has historically fared better against lefty pitchers (.792 OPS) than righties (.655), so the Orioles might see him as someone who gives their outfield a better balance against southpaws. Still, if Carlson is on the big league roster along with Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser, and Tyler O’Neill, what becomes of Heston Kjerstad? Is there still room for him in an increasingly crowded outfield picture? Is the Carlson signing setting up another move, such as a trade of Kjerstad for, say, another Dylan C.? Or should I Cease with this line of thinking?
At this point Carlson isn’t even guaranteed to be on the Opening Day roster, so perhaps we’re reading too much into a simple depth signing. If the Orioles are planning to make any more acquisitions before the season starts, let’s hope the next one is a little more exciting.
Links
Orioles returning Adam Jones to organization as special advisor and community ambassador – School of Roch
This might be the best news of the entire offseason. The Orioles are a better organization whenever Adam Jones is involved, and he’s going to be a great ambassador for the team and the sport.
Top 100 MLB prospects 2025: Keith Law’s rankings, with Roman Anthony at No. 1 – The Athletic
Law’s updated prospects list includes three Orioles. The writeup on Samuel Basallo (No. 3) has me drooling like Homer Simpson.
Orioles add Dylan Carlson to outfield mix on 1-year deal – The Baltimore Banner
Andy Kostka has more details about the Carlson addition. The guy has good plate discipline and ranks highly in launch angle. So, that’s something, I guess.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! The only Oriole with a Jan. 28 birthday is left-hander Wesley Wright, who pitched in a grand total of two games for the 2015 Birds. He turns 40 today.
On this date in 1982, the Orioles traded third baseman Doug DeCinces to the California Angels, ending his 12-year tenure with the organization. The Orioles Hall of Famer had capably replaced Brooks Robinson at third base and went on to play another five solid years for the Angels. In exchange for DeCinces, the Orioles acquired outfielder “Disco” Dan Ford, who was a solid role player for the 1983 O’s championship team.
And on this day in 2010, the O’s signed lefty Eduardo Rodríguez as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela. At a time when the Orioles were barely participating in the international market, Rodríguez became a rare success, emerging as a top prospect before the Birds traded him to the Red Sox for Andrew Miller in 2014. The now-Diamondback has since put together a nine-year MLB career with 85 wins and an above-average 110 ERA+.