The Orioles are pushing right-hander Chris Tillman back to the bullpen, as Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes. It’s the second move to the ’pen for Tillman this season, as he’ll be replaced by right-hander Gabriel Ynoa on Sunday. As Encina notes, the Orioles’ rotation is devolving into a veritable game of musical chairs, with the struggles of Tillman, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jeremy Hellickson all creating uncertainty as the team tries to hang around in a tight AL Wild Card race. It’s certainly possible that Tillman finds his way back into the rotation mix; Jimenez was only just recently bumped to the bullpen but will now return to start on Monday. Tillman has been dealing with soreness in his right wrist, per Encina, though he said the apparently minor issue hasn’t impacted him on the mound. It’s been a nightmarish season for Tillman, who has long been the most consistent member of the Orioles’ staff. His free-agent stock has already taken a massive hit in 2017, and a move to the ’pen doesn’t do him any favors, as it minimizes his chances to demonstrate improvement in the final few weeks.
More from the division..
- Yankees righty Adam Warren landed on the 10-day disabled list yesterday, as the team announced, and Erik Boland of Newsday writes that he’ll need to rest for the next two weeks as a result of the current ailment. Manager Joe Girardi acknowledged that he’s concerned about when he might be able to add Warren back into his bullpen, though the skipper said he’s still hopeful that Warren will make it back before the season ends. The 30-year-old Warren has been outstanding for the Yanks this season, logging 56 1/3 innings with a 2.40 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 0.6 HR/9 and a 44.3 percent ground-ball rate.
- The Rays have made multiple attempts to lock up right-hander Alex Cobb on a long-term deal in the past, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports in his latest AL Notes rundown. Tampa Bay tried to lock up Cobb on an extension worth about $30MM after his second big league season and another worth about $40MM after his third year, though the team wanted a pair of favorable club options added to each iteration of that deal (as they’ve secured in previous extensions for pitchers such as Matt Moore, Wade Davis and Chris Archer). Obviously, those attempts fell short, and Cobb looks fairly well positioned as he sits on the cusp of free agency.
- There’s very little chance of an offseason Josh Donaldson trade, per Heyman, who writes that the Blue Jays would only move the former AL MVP if they somehow found a trade that made them better in 2018. Of course, Donaldson is controlled only for the 2018 season, making that scenario highly unlikely. There hasn’t been much to suggest that Donaldson would be moved anyhow; to the contrary, all indications this summer have been that the Jays intend to compete next year when they have better health from the likes of Donaldson, Aaron Sanchez, J.A. Happ, Devon Travis (hopefully) and others.
- MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm tackles a host of Blue Jays questions in his latest Inbox column, ranging from Roberto Osuna’s future to the lack of a September call-up for Anthony Alford to the current outfield alignment. With regard to Jose Bautista, Chisholm writes that it’s “all but a foregone conclusion” that the former All-Star won’t return to the Blue Jays in 2018. Chisholm also opines that top prospect Vlad Guerrero Jr. is unlikely to see the Majors next season with Donaldson still in the fold and the current front office’s cautious approach to promoting prospects.
Tillman is finished let’s not play all three are
Get him out of Baltimore next year could easily do better.
Baltimore needs to sign Derek Holland. He would fit in perfect with that team
I wouldn’t be shocked if Baltimore signed Big Sexy Bartolo to a long term contract either. What a clueless organization
The Orioles would benefit from signing anybody who can go six innings and give up less than five run. With that offense that’s all you need.
Well, that is why I wanted Verlander and I would consider Cashner this upcoming free agency for 2018. He might be pretty good for the O’s, but he has to stay healthy
How were we ever going to acquire verlander? For sisco? Cause that’s the only way in hell we would’ve gotten him
Next year’s rotation… Bundy, Gausman, Castro, Asher, and either Ynoa if he has a good spring or give Tanner Scott a try. I would like to sign an Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn, but let’s face it, they are all going to go for ridiculous amounts that they won’t live up to. I’d say this rotation is already an improvement on this year’s.
Castro, Ynoa, and Asher are not major league caliber starters. Castro is maybe a decent middle reliever at best, depending on how much he regresses. Asher and Ynoa are both long men who should be the last pitcher on the roster. They need to be big in free agency, especially with the struggles that both gausman and bundy have had this year.
Oh I agree, Baltimore needs to be active in FA market, but they don’t have the money to compete for the top arms and when they over spend for lesser guys, well, Ubaldo. I’m not saying my rotation guess is my ideal scenario, I’m just saying that’s probably what we will end up getting.
I’d have to disagree on bundy. He’s really pitching his first full season ever. I’m not worried about him. Gausman is a different story though.
That rotation is horrible. Castro as a starter is going to be no better than what hellickson or Miley has given us this year and even that is no guarantee. We’ve already seen Asher, he’d be starting right now if he brought anything to the table. Ynoa’s AAA numbers are bad but it doesn’t hurt to run him out there this year. There is no way in hell we don’t sign pitching this offseason. Tanner Scott is an absolute walk machine, he’s going to have to be a reliever. Once we realize that we can add another power arm to our bullpen. I’d say hunter Harvey has. Better chance of being in our 2018 rotation than Asher or tanner scott
Tanner Scott has 24 starts this year with a total of 69 innings pitched. He’s essentially a reliever how we are using him now, I don’t understand our plan with him at this point. Those 3 innings start aren’t going to cut it, he doesn’t have the control to go deep. We need to let him loose in the bullpen again. He is the exact piece we need in the pen too. Add a left handed power arm that bullpen is even better. I don’t believe in bleier’s success for a second.
Scott is not a starter, and the organization has no intention of using him that way. Go to masnsports.com and search for an article Steve Melewski wrote at the beginning of the year about Scott. It explains everything you have questions about. I know, because I had the same questions until I read it.
Tanner Scott will never be a starter. He’s only starting this year to put himself in a situation to get three innings at a time. He’s been working on his command, and while it’s better than it has been in the past it is still not particularly good. Right now, his best case scenario looks to be Mitch Williams and he certainly could be a guy who never makes the majors at all.
In terms of what pitchers they should target, go to baseball reference and sort by go/ao rate. That’s your target list. They need pitchers who throw strikes and groundballs. Mike Leake would have been great. Clayton Richard, Jaime Garcia. Cole and Cobb and Tanaka if they are available (I’m assuming that Garcia’s walk rate is an outlier, although we’ve lived through Miley’s outlier year and it’s been painful to watch).
I don’t want Clayton Richard at all. He’s not putting up numbers at petco I don’t wanna see that at Camden yards. We do need to add a lefty in our rotation though so I suppose Jaime Garcia could be an option. We need to sign at least 2 guys this offseason who can fill a spot. Realistically we need 3 but I’m sure we’ll cheap out and find our 5th internally. Either Castro or Ynoa I would expect probably both of them before the all star break because which ever one wins will be bad enough to lose the job at some point.
Tillman is a tomato can. Baltimore’s rotation is that of an indy team
A tomato can, lol
When Tillman is healthy he is pretty good, when he is not and the fact he missed Spring Training, it was not a good year for Tillman!
Tillman’s velo is way down and hasn’t been effective in over 2 years now. Who are you kidding?
Adam Warren > Andrew Miller
Of course the Jays would say that about Donaldson. What would you expect?
Yeah really. JD is trade bait if the GM and Pres know what they doing. The Jays will not compete next year unless they sign 3 new starters and 2 new money releivers. And while their at it, they need a new catcher, new 2nd baseman, new shortstop, new right fielder. Get the point?
Don’t listen to the Rogers kool_aid or media kool-aid that the Jays will compete next year. Yeeesh.
Agreed. We are back to the Ricciardi era in Toronto, noted by bottomless optimism and timely press releases. Compete in 2018? Jays will be lucky to compete at any point over the next three seasons. Good ol’ billionaire Rogers ownership, an entire country of Jays fans, yet so little progress. Jays fans deserve better.
It’s all double talk by shapiehole to drum up ticket sales for next year. He’s been blowing the team up since he got to Toronto so that he can rebuild it his way.
You mean Hellickson is struggling in a top 5 offensive enviroment? Never woulda guessed…
His control has been dreadful for the O’s for the most part! He could have pitched every game in the Oakland Coliseum and he would have had the same results as he did for the O’s so far.
Ralph, you just got chastised in another thread for your insulting, pointless trolling. Unless you have something useful to contribute to the conversation, go elsewhere while the adults have an actual mature baseball conversation.
I think I’ll stay right here and offer my expertise, tyvm
Hellickson has shown bright spots at times just like ubaldo has and tillman has yet to have a bright spot this year
Hellickson has as much use as a used tampon