The Orioles received good news on the troublesome left knee of closer Zach Britton today, per MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. Both reported that the Orioles came away with good news from an MRI, with Encina specifically noting that there’s no structural damage in the knee. The joint has given Britton some on-and-off discomfort for the past few years and flared up last night, with Encina noting that there is still some swelling. Both reporters suggest that the team is still weighing whether to place Britton on the 10-day disabled list to give him a bit of an extended break.
A few more notes out of Charm City…
- Rich Dubroff of PressboxOnline.net writes that manager Buck Showalter has indicated that the organization has some level of interest in looking at right-hander Miguel Castro as a starter next year. Castro was originally a starting pitcher in the Blue Jays’ minor league ranks but has pitched exclusively out of the ’pen with the Jays, Rockies and O’s. However, Baltimore has been impressed by multiple long-relief stints from the 22-year-old Castro this season, including a career-high six innings of one-hit ball on Aug. 3 and a 3 2/3-inning performance in last night’s extra-inning affair. Castro hasn’t started a game since pitching for Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate in 2015. In 46 innings with the Orioles this year, he has a sterling 2.74 ERA with 2.4 BB/9 and a respectable 42.3 percent ground-ball rate. His 4.9 K/9, however, is considerably below the league average, leading metrics like FIP (4.59), xFIP (5.09) and SIERA (4.85) to paint a far less optimistic picture — though it’s fair to note that Castro has missed bats at an approximately league-average 10.9% clip.
- Chris Tillman’s struggles haven’t been the result of being distracted with free agency on the horizon, the right-hander tells Kubatko. “I haven’t really thought about it, to tell you the truth,” said Tillman. “Everyone knows it is what it is. It’s out there, but I’ve got bigger things to focus on and that’s pitching better and trying to help this team get to where we want to be.” Tillman notes that he never heard anything from his representatives at Beverly Hills Sports Council about serious extension talks with Baltimore following the Winter Meetings this year. It’s been a nightmarish walk year for Tillman, who opened the season on the disabled list due to shoulder issues and has posted a 7.75 ERA with 6.7 K/9, 4.8 BB/9, a 40.5 percent ground-ball rate and a diminished 90.7 mph average fastball.
The metrics can say what they want about Castro; his stuff has been terrific this year.
No one cares what his Xfip and SIERA is as long as the normal stats are fine.
Castro has a starters arsenal…and looks impressive. Wayyyyyyyy more impressive than everyone except Bundy.
Yeah, Bundy looks really really good.
Orioles sign Tillman to a long deal would be foolish he cannot pitch
Orioles got a good one in Castro. Jays gave up on him way too easily.
Jays didn’t really give up on him, he was part of the Tulo deal. Colorado cut him loose, which led him to Baltimore.
Castro would become the ace of that rotation even with those metrics lol.
You’re obsessed with the Orioles.
That could be a good thing!
As an O’s fan… no. Not true.
Castro’s long relief appearances all came when we were getting blown out. He came in last night and got a big out but I’m not that excited to see him in the rotation. Most of his appearances haven’t been high leverage and the advanced metrics don’t like him this year. He’s not striking any batters out despite the swinging strike, we have the slots to fill though so I’m sure you’ll see him in there. But I’m not very excited about a guy who’s been a long and middle reliever for most of the year.
How about this advanced metric: HE GETS PEOPLE OUT.
Yeah, but the point of the metric is to gauge whether he can continue to get people out, and the answer appears to be no right now unfortunately. Pitchers with similar strikeout rates to Castro this season include Bartolo Colon, Miguel Gonzalez, Matt Cain and Bronson Arroyo. Unless he figures out how to miss more bats (and he does have better stuff than the other guys with such low strikeout totals), he’s not going to keep up this level of run prevention
If that’s the metric you use regression is almost certainly happening
Castro as a starter? Meh. He doesn’t strike people out and he certainly doesn’t dominate even though he throws mid to upper 90s. I just don’t see him being anything more than a swingman.
I really hope Britton is ok and can return strong because that is the is the only way we get much for him in trade over the offseason.
I don’t think Britton will be traded in the offseason. He’s not going to build up enough value the rest of this year. Angelos seriously wants to give this team another shot, I don’t expect any of our key players to be moved in the offseason. Maybe brach because for some reason he hasn’t been used in same tight spots he has been used in since Britton has returned. Kinda feels like givens has surpassed him in the pecking order. Angelos is an old man and he probably believes this is one of his last chances to possibly have a winning baseball team on the field. Not that I agree but it is what it is. He wouldn’t move Britton unless we got an elite prospect and we certainly aren’t going to get an elite prospect unless he comes back dealing next season. Who knows how we’re going to fill up the rotation next year, but I’m sure Castro will slide into the 5 role to start the season simply due to lack of options. We don’t like signing pitchers long term and we need 3 Sp. it looks like hellickson isn’t a match (surprise, surprise) but I don’t know how we fill this rotation, you’d have to think the only way it can go is up but with the orioles you just never know.