John Means is a free agent for the first time in his career, though the southpaw entered the open market under a cloud of uncertainty following Tommy John surgery last June. It was the second TJ procedure in a little over two years’ time for Means, which has limited him to 52 1/3 Major League innings over the 2022-24 seasons.
Despite this checkered health situation, a reunion with the Orioles still seems like a possibility. MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes that the O’s “haven’t closed the door on” Means, and “it would be a mistake to downplay their interest. Re-signing him is a possibility.” This interest might not translate into a contract in the immediate future, as Means is expected to only reach a deal later in the offseason given that he’ll be sidelined for most or all of the 2025 campaign.
In all likelihood, Means and his reps at the Wasserman Agency are looking for the type of backloaded, two-year contract that has become the norm for pitchers recovering from a long-term injury. Such deals commonly see the pitcher receive a small guaranteed salary in the first year with the understanding that most or all of the season will be spent rehabbing, and more guaranteed money is backloaded into the second year when the pitcher is hopefully healthy and ready to go.
An 11th-round pick for Baltimore in the 2014 draft, Means has spent his entire pro career in an Orioles uniform, posting a 3.68 ERA over 401 innings in the orange-and-black. Means’ tenure has been highlighted by a second-place finish in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019, an All-Star selection in that same season, and a no-hitter in 2021. This early success came while the Orioles were in their deep rebuild, and Means was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise dismal roster.
Unfortunately for Means, his injury problems have kept him from playing much of a role in the Orioles’ emergence from that rebuild. He underwent his first Tommy John surgery in May 2022 and returned in time to make four starts in September 2023, but elbow soreness kept him off Baltimore’s playoff roster. He didn’t make his 2024 season debut until May 4, and Means made another four starts before UCL damage again led to another long layoff.
The usual 13-15 month recovery period for Tommy John procedures would put July 2025 as the best-case scenario for Means’ return date. Of course, the fact that this is his second TJ surgery (and in such a short span of time) could very well push Means to the longer end of that projected timeline, and even one setback could keep him off a Major League mound entirely in 2025.
This is purely speculative given the lack of details on Means’ recovery process, but a quicker return to the majors might be possible if he aimed to return as a reliever for the 2025 season. Rather than rebuild the arm strength needed for a starters’ workload, Means could focus on just working one or two innings at most, in order to perhaps make him ready for July or August. Means has started 73 of his 78 career games, and would well return to starting down the road, once he has knocked off some rust with a few relief outings in 2025. Or, since Means is turning 32 in April and has such a lengthy injury history, he could even consider a full-time move to the bullpen as a way of keeping him healthy and extending his career.
Re-signing with the O’s might also make relief pitching more of a direct short-term option for Means, since cracking Baltimore’s bullpen could be easier than working his way into what is a pretty crowded rotation depth chart. Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano have been signed this season to join Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, and Dean Kremer as the top starting options, with Albert Suarez likely operating as a swingman, and several depth arms (Trevor Rogers, Cade Povich, Chayce McDermott, Brandon young) at Triple-A. Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells also aiming to return from UCL surgeries of their own — Bradish a TJ procedure and Wells an internal brace procedure — at some point in 2025.
The Orioles obviously know Means’ medicals better than any other team, and their continued interest in the left-hander indicates some confidence that Means will be able to recover in some form. Bringing Means back on a two-year deal also lines up a starting option for 2026, which is noteworthy since Morton, Sugano, and Eflin are all slated to become free agents next winter.
Seems like a Red Sox special.
Like a promotion or bobble head giveaway? Beach towel?
Wouldn’t be a bad two year deal backloaded
Tom – Beat me to it, Sox have competition.
The Sox already have a ton of starters they wouldn’t need means
@ sad
Obviously you’re not a golfer
sad – Means wouldn’t be expected to contribute much (if anything) until next year, correct? The Red Sox will likely need him next year as both Buehler and Giolito are likely gone after this season.
Came here to say the same thing.
Truthfully always wished the Sox traded for him.
I think they closed that door by signing Patrick Sandoval, who is essentially in the same boat.
I like Means more, because when he’s on, he’s on, but man does he get injured often. Hoping he makes a comeback. Perfect pitcher for the Braves or Astros to sign.
Where there’s a Means, there is a way.
John Means bathroom.
@john means business
Good, hope they do resign him. Means is underrated, health aside.
The guy had Cy written all over him before the injuries
I wouldn’t say Cy but ace pitcher absolutely
That no hitter was so depressing for me
Should’ve been a perfect game. Faced the minimum but Severino dropped the third strike.
A sad day indeed. Sevie was soo frustrating to watch behind the plate and it cost John the ultimate achievement
Ball was in the dirt hater
Sevi, that you?
Cy “written all over him” when he was young.
Did someone literally write it all over him one day? Cause otherwise we’re thinking of 2 very different pitchers
Just a spelling error.
They meant “Sigh, young”.
All teams need pitching.I hope the Red Sox sign him.The way i see pitchers,is that pretty much everyone of the has a elbow,TJS, or shoulder injury in the career.You just have to guess it won’t be while they are pitching for your team.
Doesn’t Boston have enough pitchers who are unable to pitch? You add up all their salaries and the Sox could have signed Burnes.
2 TJS are far more rare than 1. IF this was the first 1, he would have gotten 2 years with a 10-15m total out of the gate. A team like the Os would have viewed it as a preemtive signing for next year when 3 of their starters from this year are FA.
That 2nd TJS changes things a lot. Rather than a 90% recovery rate, you are far far lower.
There’s multiple open rotation slots in 2026. This would be a worthwhile gamble.
If he wants long relief money….maybe. But not starter money.
Means was a major bright spot during the lowest years of the rebuild so I think most O’s fans would be okay with a backloaded 2 year deal to cover his rehab year in 2025 and full comeback attempt in 2026, especially since we have at least 3 SPs set to depart after 2025 and will need several SPs to rebuild depth.
the question is for how much. you see guys around this level (Kelly, et al) that have TJS on a walk year and get 2 years for about 10-15m total. The idea being it is a little lighter than they would get on a 1 year deal- but they have all of the teams stuff to use for recovery and even if it goes poorly they still have a golden parachute.
The issue for Means is that this is TJS #2 and he was a late bloomer to start with…. you are basically getting 33 year old former #3 starter who has not thrown in 2 years and had major surgery on the same elbow twice. The recovery on the 2nd one is generally nowhere near as succesful. So instead of 15m, i could see 5m for both years to reflect the team is taking a massive risk
What they really need to do is make that trade for Castillo or Lopez!!!
The thing with the two year contract is that they already did that with him once and got nothing in return. Now they’ll do it again but only at a price they want
John Means Business.
If Jeff Hoffman can’t clear his O’s medicals, I’m skeptical of them speculatively resigning Means unless it’s a bargain deal.
They already know the medicals on Means.
If only there were some form of Means Test…
They’d be signing him with the injury in mind. Hoffman isn’t currently injured but probably has something lurking that the Os weren’t cool with. Means is already injured and healing. Woodruff situation 2.0
He belongs with the Orioles
Sucks he was a stud when the team was bad. Now that he could be a part of something great he’s hurt.
A team like the White Sox, a team that will cycle through veterans looking for trade chips make sense as even though they may get nothing out of him this season if he comes back and is decent they could flip him at the deadline next season
Great low cost option for Preller. Make it happen AJ.
He’s not an option for 2025. He probably can’t spend any money on a guy who isn’t going to contribute with the budget he’s working with.
Means would make sense to be signed once 40 man slots can be opened up using the IL.
He won’t be back before then and it’ll keep the signing club from having to remove a 40 man member.
There is no doubt he can still pitch – would be a travesty if it is anywhere other than Baltimore.
Would love to see the Yankees take a flyer on him as a reliever
Both TJS after he started weighted ball throwing to get his FB velo up a few mph.
please no. we have paid him enough. he would need to take a gigantic home town discount.
Braves, go get him. Project worth taking a flier on
Means may have to do some prove me years, but with two TJs the chance to regain whatever he has left is unlikely. He may at best be a middle reliever now until he regains some durability/velocity which may never comeback
Means is lights out in MLB The Show 24 so factor that in the contract negotiations plz
How much is it worth to arb panelists that Jazz was on its cover once?
Please sign John Means!
If you don’t, the hated Bosox or Yanks will, and nobody wants that!
And remember that in October you lose THREE starters!
Means a power lefty, could fill one of them!
So this means not an end to Means as a means to an end?
if the O’s wanted to stash Means in the minors (technically, so he didn’t count against the 40 man in the 25-26 off-season), could they just sign him to a large 2 yr minor league contract and let him rehab being technically on the minor rather than major league roster? I’m not taking minor league money, just official status.
I hope Means teaches the FO a lesson. TJ is not a 13-15M injury. 18M should be the mininum. 2023 Means pushed himself to make it back and it snapped again. Teams around the league have these guys rehabbing for a1 late season reinforcement. It almost never works out.