The Orioles have agreed to a deal with catcher Robinson Chirinos that will pay the veteran $900K in guaranteed money, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports. Another $75K is available to Chirinos in incentives, and he’ll receive a $100K bonus if he is traded. ESPN’s Marly Rivera (Twitter link) was the first to report that Chirinos and the O’s were close to a deal.
Having already acquired Anthony Bemboom and Jacob Nottingham this winter, the Orioles were still known to be on the lookout for an established catcher who could handle a more regular share of playing time. Exactly how much playing time Chirinos will receive has yet to be determined, as it is widely expected that star prospect Adley Rutschman will be getting the bulk of work behind the plate in Baltimore this season, if perhaps not quite on Opening Day.
Given that the new collective bargaining agreement offers the promise of bonus draft picks to high finishers in Rookie Of The Year balloting, the O’s have some increased incentive to have Rutschman in the big leagues as soon as possible. Regardless, Chirinos should be in line for a fair amount of work before or after Rutschman is promoted, and the trade bonus also addresses the distinct possibility that the rebuilding Orioles will look to flip Chirinos before the deadline.
Other than a dismal performance during the shortened 2020 season, Chirinos has quietly been a very solid offensive performer for much of the last eight years, hitting .232/.327/.438 with 90 home runs over 2147 PA with the start of the 2014 season. Beyond just “good for a catcher,” this translates to a 102 OPS+ and 104 wRC+, making Chirinos a valuable member of the Rangers, Astros, and Cubs lineups, even if his relative struggles on defense limited his chances at being a true full-time starter.
Chirinos signed a minor league deal with the Yankees last offseason but suffered a fractured wrist during Spring Training, and eventually caught on with the Cubs in July after New York released him. Chirinos bounced back from his rough 2020 with a respectable .227/.324/.454 slash line and five home runs over his 112 PA with Chicago.
I think Mark meant to type and his sources meant to say Matt Wieters!
Wow didn’t expect them to sign a backstop. Adley needs better mentorship than Benboom and Nottingham I guess.
Suzuki would have been a better mentor.
I’m not gonna nitpick. Suzuki probably wants a timeshare or full time job anyway.
Adley could probably mentor those dudes.
Suzuki would want more playing time than he’d get when adley comes up for his price.. I’ll take this signing
Not to mention Suzuki was already signed.. I’m sure Angels playing time/chance of winning is a little more enticing than orioles
Well, that makes O’s a division favorite.
You know it smart ass
I read this morning that the Orioles didn’t have a catcher on their 40 man roster, so it makes sense.
Hey, the O’s aren’t THAT bad. Put 4 players on the team (Trout, Betts, Max, Jake), and they’d be a .500 club.
Keep making jokes about the Orioles while you can. You’ve got about a year left.
Yep. It’s a team that’s about to pop
Bringing in a few former rangers(Lyles, Chirinos, Odor). Ronald Guzman next???
Damn.
Chirinos was my go-to Higashioka upgrade.
Solid pickup. Chirinos can start and then move to the backup job when Adley is ready
Still hoping the O’s trade Mullins to Miami for 2 of their young stud arms, let’s say Myer & Eder
2023 will be.
C Rutschman
1B Mountcastle
2B Vavra/Norby/Prieto
SS Henderson
3B Westburg
LF Kjerstad
CF Cowser
RF Hays/Stowers
DH Hays/Stowers
#1 Means
#2 Rodriguez
#3 Myer
#4 DL Hall
#5 Eder
I’d buy an MLB subscription to watch that team play 162 games!
Not to mention a bullpen with Tanner Scott and Tyler Smith plus a slew of former starters who could focus on a couple pitches and increased velocity that would have most of them in the 96-99mph range for shorter stints like
Keegan Akin
Dean Kremer
Jorge Lopez
Mike Baumann
Kyle Bradish
The name is Tyler Wells (not Smith) and he is being stretched out to start.