Longtime slugger Mark Trumbo has missed the entire season to this point, but even though the Orioles are in the running for last place, he’s not giving up on 2019. Trumbo plans to start a Triple-A rehab assignment “around Aug. 27,” play five games and then come off the injured list to rejoin the team, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweets.
If Trumbo is able to return this season, it might be the last we see of the 33-year-old designated hitter/outfielder, whom Kubatko recently relayed could retire at the end of 2019. Trumbo has sat out the season because of right knee problems, which came after issues in the joint held him to 90 games a year ago. We’re almost at the one-year anniversary of the knee surgery Trumbo underwent last September.
Regardless of whether Trumbo plays again this season, his Orioles tenure is likely nearing an end. Trumbo has just a few weeks remaining on the three-year, $37.5MM contract the Orioles re-signed him to after 2016, when he was coming off a major league-leading 47-home run season. Trumbo notched a career-best 125 wRC+ over 667 plate appearances that year, but he hasn’t been nearly as threatening since then. Trumbo combined to hit .244/.298/.417 (90 wRC+) with 40 homers in 961 PA from 2017-18.
What big money people do the Orioles have on the books for next season? Cobb and Davis, right? That’s it? I mean, more then $10MM a year by “big money”.
I believe it’s just those two, Villar made just under $5M this season so he’ll be due sa raise, and I think Givens made just under $3M…don’t think they have any other large commitments expected
So…they’ll have the lowest payroll in baseball?
Just plain silly. Davis is sitting, and deservedly so, in order to get ABs for younger players being evaluated. IF Trumbo comes back one year after surgery, there will be 21 games left in the season.. What about the ABs for younger players when he returns?
I’ve read that the Orioles want to reward him for working so hard in rehab. I think that $13.5M plus all the associated costs of rehab is more than adequate reward for him.
He’s most likely going to retire and probably won’t play in back to back games. Its not going to hurt a dead last team to give the guy 40 DH at bats and send him off.
Issues in the joint? I didn’t know he was in stir.
Hahah
He missed out on that souped up baseball this season. Time left to hit a dozen.
Why is he retiring?
he’s not even 30 yet is he?
33 i just saw it says
He’s also really tailed off the past couple of seasons after his monster 47 home run season. I also may be reading into this a little bit too much but my guess is that his knee probably isn’t really entirely “good to go” rather it’s something that more or less would prevent him from playing regularly in the Majors and this is more of a “one last time” thing than a true “injury healed and ready to go” scenario. If it weren’t my guess is that he would be trying to play another season or two because even at 33… you’d imagine, if healthy, he could still be somewhat productive as a bench bat/part-time DH for a team in need of RH pop.
Too bad he could never figure out how to draw a few more walks ..if he could have he would have been one of the premier hitters in the game
He would be a great coach
This is great news for the Orioles in their quest to be slightly less horrible.