5:03PM: The Orioles have interest in Elias Diaz, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports. An All-Star in 2023 due to a hot start to the season, Diaz has been a below-average offensive performer for most of his 10 MLB seasons, but his defensive metrics have been generally solid. Diaz hit .265/.313/.382 over 351 plate appearances with the Rockies and Padres last season, as Diaz landed with San Diego in August after being released by Colorado.
1:34PM: Much of the conversation surrounding the Orioles to this point in the offseason has focused on recently-departed free agents Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander and the club’s efforts to either reunite with or replace those top-of-the-market players. In an appearance on MLB Network Radio earlier today, club GM Mike Elias acknowledged that the club would “love” to bring both Burnes and Santander back, and that they’re prioritizing additions to the top of the rotation and the outfield to make up for that lost production. While those plans have already been reported on extensively, Elias also noted one other departing free agent who the club would either like to reunite with or replace this winter: veteran catcher James McCann.
McCann, 34, spent the past two seasons in Baltimore after being traded to the Orioles by the Mets prior to the 2023 season. He settled comfortably into the backup catcher role with his new club, serving as the second half of a tandem alongside young star Adley Rutschman. During his time in Baltimore, Statcast rated McCann as a below-average defensive catcher overall, with average marks (0 CS Above Average) for throwing out runners but lackluster marks in terms of blocking (-12 Blocks Above Average) and pitch framing (-5 Framing Runs). Meanwhile, McCann has been a below average hitter overall with the bat, but that still made him a roughly average offensive backup catcher overall as he hit .228/.274/.382 (83 wRC+) in 459 total trips to the plate over the past two years, including an 89 wRC+ in 2024.
While that production shouldn’t be especially difficult to replace for the Orioles, it’s nonetheless worth noting that the club plans to pursue an external addition at the position. With Rutschman locked in as the club’s starting catcher for the foreseeable future and top prospect Samuel Basallo already at the Triple-A level, it wouldn’t have been especially surprising if the club decided to go with some combination of Blake Hunt and Rene Pinto to back up Rutschman until Basallo is ready to debut. Given Elias’s comments, however, it seems the club will at least explore adding another veteran catcher to the mix to pair with Rutschman.
Whether that veteran catcher will wind up being McCann or not is unclear. Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball suggested earlier today that McCann may be searching for a multi-year deal in free agency this winter given the thin market for catchers, and went on to note that a deal of that magnitude could make the Orioles “uncomfortable.” Given the presence of Basallo, it would be understandable if the club preferred to limit any commitment to a veteran catcher to just one guaranteed year. If McCann proves to be out of the club’s comfort zone or they simply opt to go in a different direction, there’s a number of other options who could be available on a one-year pact this winter such as Gary Sanchez, Elias Diaz, and Reese McGuire.
Elias Diaz would be a great veteran fit, Sanchez works too but for a backup catcher you want defense first
Or of course on days when rutschman needs a rest basallo moves from first to catcher but that won’t happen until 2026
Yeah I don’t think Basallo is quite ready. He had a good year overall, but a .638 OPS in 21 AAA games needs improvement. I think he’ll be fine though. He’s only 20 years old.
Basallo’s offense isn’t the problem. He needs a full AAA season to work on defense.
Is Diaz strong defensively?
Diaz is a solid thrower and about an average blocker. The problem is he’s a horrible framer, losing 32 runs on framing in his career per Statcast and 57 per Fangraphs.
Unfortunately that makes a really big difference. If he was even an average framer he’d be a luxury backup or borderline starter, but as it is he’s just a fine fill-in.
Fwiw, his framing was rated positively for the first time in his career last year, so hopefully he’s worked on that deficit in his game and it’s not just a fluke!
Once the automated strike zone is officially in effect, framing will no longer be that important.
Challenging balls and strikes in the only thing coming within the next few years, right? That should at least narrow the gap.
That’s not coming next year though and the Orioles just need a 1 yr deal backup catcher
I may give up baseball if they let this happen and that would kind of be like dying.
Quite the opposite. Colorado dropped him once he stopped hitting because his defense is poor.
Very
And what about his leadership skills? Catchers have to be able to work well with pitchers, so they need to have strong leadership and communication abilities IMO.
I agree that the backup needs to be strong defensively, but I thought Diaz was stronger on offense
You’re a Mariner fan! You’re supposed to tell them Garver would be a great fit!
Oh my god you are right sorry about my last comment I so happened to hit my head and just got my conscience back
So for our everyday, powerful strong C/DH all packed into the man known as Mitch garver we would like mayo and basallo in return
Danny Jansen is probably what they are looking for
Why not extend a hand to Reese McGuire?
Very clever
Nah. By now he’s probably….finished?
How is his pop time?
We’re all pulling for him.
Woo/Garver/Locklear for Westburg/Mountcastle
Lol, good one!
O’s have no need for another first base prospect and someone as worthless as garver
I would like westy in Seattle since he’s probably going to get squeezed out with Coby mayo around
Maybe like Gilbert for westy and a prospect not named basallo or mayo
There is almost zero chance Gilbert gets traded this offseason, but he absolutely would command a return like Westburg,, plus Mayo or Basallo–and then some.
If Seattle lands Sasaki, some of these hypotheticals might gain some traction.
What? Westy is going to get squeezed out by Mayo? What nonsense. Westburg is a multi-positional middle infielder that has nothing in common with Mayo as a player, and is arguably the second best position player on the team. Saying Mayo is going to replace him is stupid.
Mayo and basallo will take 3rd and 1st respectively unless they’re traded
What happens to westburg when there’s also Jackson Holliday and Gunnar?
Gunnar is the only guy in that infield that has a spot locked down. Of Holliday/Westburg/Mayo/Basallo, Westburg is the only one who has proven he can hit major league pitching. None of them are plus defenders. Westburg may be squeezed out at some point but I doubt its in ’25.
If Dipoto is looking in the 2-3 WAR infielder bucket again like this, like he does year after year after year, I certainly hope he can find one that doesn’t cost us a SP.
There is zero guarantee Basallo or Mayo, or even Holliday, make an impact at the big league level equivalent to Westburg thus far.
Also, the O’s have regularly rolled with essentially four middle/left infielders on the roster getting regular playing time for three years now.
Not to mention, Westburg was the steadiest prospect of all of them. Less flashy but more reliable. That kind of thing matters. Westburg’s injury essentially killed the team this year – he’ll be a starting O’s infielder for the entirety of his arb years, mark my words.
Westburg is not getting “squeezed out”… he was an All Star
He didn’t finish the season very strong, but I don’t see them moving him, either. Mayo hasn’t proven anything yet and there’s still room for both.
But it’s kind of a similar situation with Seattle and their pitching. They don’t have the kind of depth many people think they have..
i
Heck ya!!
I admittedly speculated about sending Woo with Garver for Westburg and Eflin.
But ultimately, I think both teams would pass.
Both teams would pass for sure. I don’t think Jerry deals a SP even if we pull Sasaki somehow. If anything getting Sasaki might make it less likely we trade one because he would require a 6-man rotation and Woo probably needs one too.
What makes you think Sasaki would require a six-man rotation? He would be handled carefully, but I doubt he’d require a six-man rotation.
I think landing him would most likely lead to a unique use of Woo than it would a trade, at least until the deadline, but it would definitely increase the possibility of a trade.
There aren’t too many situations where I could see Seattle moving a starter, but getting another starter while addressing a need might be the exception.
They pitch once a week on 6 man rotations in Japan. Plenty of articles about potential landing spots that would be most conducive to fielding one if they sign him. LAD would almost certainly use one to keep all their glass cannons healthy. It’s not the only way obviously but the M’s are better equipped than anyone to do it.
You’re probably right about the rest of it I suppose. I do think it would be unwise to trade a starter. Seems unlikely we get so lucky again on SP health..
I think everyone knows about the routines in Japan by now, but I haven’t read or seen anything that suggests he’s insisting on a six-man rotation. I think we both agree that Seattle would have little trouble making it work and that’s probably more likely than a trade.
But Seattle’s situation is so unique. They have a year or two before they really need to make a decision on players like Gilbert and Raleigh if extensions aren’t signed. It’s also fair to wonder if they can even afford extensions. Regardless, they’ll probably need to get creative to address their needs this offseason. Maybe that eventually means moving a starter and acquiring an alternative if they can’t land Sasaki.
Anyway, I should note that Baltimore is kind of in a similar situation with infielders. Westburg didn’t exactly finish the seasons strong and Mayo hasn’t proven anything yet. They’re not as deep as it probably seems and, like Seattle with Woo, they probably wouldn’t want to sell low on Westburg. That was my thought process behind the idea I shared (and dismissed).
I think there’s a real good chance Seattle goes after Nick Madrigal to address second base. He’s a former top pick from a Northwest school and is the textbook definition of a contact hitter. He has to be appealing to Jerry.
Man I sincerely hope we aim higher than Madrigal. I can see the Jerry appeal but if we’re gonna roll with him at the keystone why not see what Bliss can do first?
Extensions are pretty unlikely for Cal & Logan right now. Not much incentive for the team now that they’re in arb.
Why not Bliss instead? Because Madrigal has a much higher ceiling than Bliss, offers better defense, doesn’t whiff, and doesn’t need to be platooned.
But he has had so many issues staying healthy, they would probably need to let him sit one game a week.
If not Madrigal, maybe Moncada, but I think Seattle isn’t interested in any kind of heavy investment at third or second. I think we’d be lucky to someone like Bohm at third.
When you say “he didn’t finish the season strong,” I can’t imagine you’re referring to Westburg. He had a broken hand, came back as fast as possible, and was still one of the team’s most reliable hitters in that brief return to games near season’s end.
Bruh
You know, when considering the multiple holes in the rotation, the lackluster BP, a hole in RF, and a couple average at best hitters splitting time at 1B…backup catcher just isn’t something I’m thinking about.
You have to though if you’re the GM. BP will be okay if The Mountain comes back true to form. But yeah, a splash in the rotation and a RH outfielder would be nice. Those are the top two priorities, but you gotta fix the smaller stuff too.
DO NOT TRADE WESTBURG!
Who said they were? I’ve not seen any rumors. He’s untouchable anyway.
Someone above proposed a trade
Well, they were stupid enough to give away Norby so anything’s possible. This team can’t seem to deal with the wealth of prospects they have accumulated.
Norby won’t be half as good as Westburg
It’s either him or mayo
No, it isn’t. Shut up and sit down. Mayo is not a threat to Westburg.
Mayo will be a fixture in the lineup sooner rather than later. If they can bring themselves to, you know, give him a chance to play.
Mayo will not be an every day 3B. That’s Westburgs job. This M fan doesn’t know anything about the O’s or how Elias runs things. Hint: Mountcastle was not drafted by him and does not have the swing decision profile they often draft. Tony also didn’t walk enough and surprise.. he’s not coming back
People have to stop describing Burnes and Tony as departed. They are free agents and may or may not sign elsewhere. Not saying they will be back, just referring to the more accurate description.
Are people referring to Soto as having “departed” the Yankees?
The nearly departed
I really hope they bring back McCann. The Orioles are so young. Last years Os were younger than ever champ since 1969.
Tomas Nido and Omar Narvaez are available.
I’d trade Basallo before he gets a show shot. The mystic factor makes him more desirable now to other teams than later? Bias here. I like that lower to the ground Molina brothers type catcher Creed Willems more than Sammy.
I’d be okay with McCann for another year but if a guy like Carson Kelly is around, grab him? One year deal and on the cheap looks doable. His DWAR is pedestrian but if Rutschman hits the DL, a vet that slides in without much disruption to season flow?
Sammy will be serviceable behind the dish his first few years, then I suspect as he ages and fill out more, he’s destined for 1B/DH only.
Guessing Elias’ plan is ride with O’hearn this year, then Sammy takes on his role playing 1B and spelling Adley.
Btw Willems apparently really impressed defensively in the AFL. Thats great news. Big season coming up for him developmentally as he approaches his age 22 season starting in AA. Don’t want to be dramatic and say make or break but it kind of is. I believe he’d have to be put on the 40 man after the ‘25 season.
I’d be interested in Diaz too.
Get two former Rockies for one
Diaz and Rogers
Wonder how Felix would react?
Possibly an opportunity for the Bucs to unload Henry Davis, and an opportunity for Davis to benefit from a change of scenery?
I bet Mitch Garver would thrive in Baltimore and could be had for cheap.
How about Luis Campusano from the Padres for pitching
If McCann cannot be brought back. I would not mind a Spanish speaking catcher. Just like there is an Engish and Spanish bullpen catcher. One of each might be of advantage with the number of Spanish speaking arms.