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John Means Leaves Start For “Precautionary” Reasons With Forearm Tightness

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Orioles left-hander John Means left tonight’s start against the Brewers after four innings, with the team announcing he’d experienced some forearm tightness. That’s always an ominous-sounding development, given how often forearm tightness can be a precursor to serious elbow issues, yet neither Means nor O’s manager Brandon Hyde sounded overly concerned.

Hyde called the early exit “precautionary” when speaking with reporters after the game (via Dan Connolly of the Athletic). The southpaw began feeling tightness in the third inning, according to the skipper, before raising the attention of the trainers after the fourth. Means said it was the second consecutive start in which he’d had some discomfort (via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com) but indicated he wasn’t particularly worried and hoped to resume throwing within a few days.

The team will know more about the issue after receiving the MRI results, although it’s a bit of a relief to hear both Means and Hyde express optimism in the immediate aftermath. Means missed more than six weeks last season after straining his shoulder. At the time he landed on the shelf, he owned a 2.28 ERA/4.20 FIP; after returning in July, he pitched to a 4.88 ERA/5.01 FIP.

It’s too simplistic to attribute Means’ second-half struggles solely to the shoulder issue, but it seemed as if the injury were having some amount of deleterious effect. Obviously, it’s not clear his current forearm discomfort is tied at all to his prior shoulder issues, but it’s at least moderately alarming to hear of Means again dealing with arm troubles.

If healthy, the 28-year-old (29 later this month) could be one of the top arms available on the midseason trade market. Means is controllable through 2024 via arbitration, but the O’s are still firmly amidst a rebuild and reportedly floated him in discussions with other clubs over the winter.

His 2022 salary is still yet to be determined, as he and the Orioles are likely headed to an arbitration hearing after he filed for $3.1MM versus the team’s offer of $2.7MM. The MRI results won’t have any bearing on that hearing, which will be a backwards-looking process based on his pre-2022 body of work.

Orioles Select Spenser Watkins

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The Orioles have selected the contract of right-hander Spenser Watkins, manager Brandon Hyde announced to reporters Monday (Twitter link via Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun). Baltimore also recalled right-hander Alexander Wells from Triple-A Norfolk and placed righty Dean Kremer on the 10-day injured list due to an oblique strain. Outfielder DJ Stewart was optioned to Norfolk last night, so Watkins and Wells will fill the vacancies created by that move and by Kremer’s placement on the IL. Baltimore’s 40-man roster had previously been at 39 players, but it’s now full following Watkins’ selection.

This will be the second straight season that the 29-year-old Watkins has logged big league time in Baltimore. The longtime Tigers farmhand made his big league debut in Baltimore last year after signing a minor league deal in the 2020-21 offseason. Watkins had solid numbers in eight Triple-A games (six starts), pitching to a 3.53 ERA with a 20.4% strikeout rate and a 7.5% walk rate in that time.

The big leagues were another story, however. Opponents jumped on him for 49 runs in just 54 2/3 innings — an 8.07 ERA. Watkins started off his big league career with just three runs through his first 16 1/3 innings, and he closed out the 2021 season with a more solid stretch of three runs allowed in his final 7 2/3 frames. The middle stretch of games proved brutal, however, as he served up 43 runs in 31 innings over seven starts and one relief appearance. Watkins has a 3.86 ERA in 625 1/3 innings at the minor league level, and he’ll now aim to carry some of that success over in his second go-around in the Majors.

As for the 25-year-old Wells, he signed with the O’s as an international free agent out of Australia back in 2015. He, too, made his MLB debut in Baltimore last season and experienced a rough set of results, serving up 32 runs in 42 2/3 innings (6.75 ERA). As with Watkins, Wells has considerably better numbers in the minors, where he’s pitched to a 2.87 ERA in 529 2/3 innings. That includes a 3.29 ERA in 54 2/3 Triple-A frames last year. Wells has punched out just 19.6% of his minor league opponents in his career, but he also boasts an outstanding 3.9% walk rate.

Orioles Option DJ Stewart To Triple-A

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The Orioles have optioned DJ Stewart to Triple-A Norfolk, per the Orioles.

Counting the two plate appearances Stewart made before today’s game, Stewart has not appeared in five consecutive seasons for the Orioles. He saw the most action of his career last season, stepping to the plate 318 times with a triple-slash line of .204/.324/.374 with 12 long balls.

More roster moves appear to be on the way for Baltimore. Dean Kremer warmed up in the bullpen, but sat down again after apparently suffering an injury, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports. He appeared to have injured his left oblique. Stewart’s demotion could be meant to create roster space to add another arm while they await an update on Kremer, though that’s speculative.

The Orioles have a day or so to figure out their next move. With a day off on Monday, the Orioles will likely wait until early Tuesday to make an addition to the roster.

Offseason In Review: Baltimore Orioles

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The Orioles’ rebuild continues to slouch forward. But with their best prospects on the cusp of breaking the majors, perhaps they’re about to turn a corner.

Major League Signings

  • Jordan Lyles, SP: one-year, $7MM plus club option for 2023
  • Robinson Chirinos, C, one-year, $900K plus incentives
  • Rougned Odor, 2B: one-year, $700K (Rangers paying the remainder of the $12.3MM remaining on his contract)
  • Total spend: $8.6MM

Options Exercised

  • None

Trades and Claims

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

  • None

Notable Losses

The biggest headlines surrounding the Orioles this season involved things that didn’t end up happening. John Means had his name come up in trade talks, though a deal never materialized. Cedric Mullins was a popular target for teams around the league, though he is also still in Baltimore. Ditto for Austin Hays and Trey Mancini. As the offseason wore on and Carlos Correa lingered on the open market, it was suggested by some that the Orioles could be dark horse candidate to sign him, due both to their lack of spending commitments and the connection with GM Mike Elias. While with Houston, Elias was reportedly the one who convinced the rest of the Astros’ front office that they should take Correa with the first overall pick in the 2012 draft. As fun as that would have been, that also didn’t happen.

In the early portion of the offseason, the club made a handful of waiver claims and minor league deals. Just on the verge of the lockout, in late November, they signed Rougned Odor to a major league deal. With Odor still being paid by the Rangers as part of the extension he signed in 2017, the Orioles were able to bring him aboard at the league minimum rate. He hasn’t posted a wRC+ above 100 since 2016, but there’s virtually no risk for the O’s to give him a shot and see if he can turn himself into a valuable trade chip for them.

On December 1st, with just a few hours to go until the lockout was set to begin, it was announced that Baltimore had agreed to sign Jordan Lyles to a one-year, $7MM guarantee. (It wouldn’t be made official until after the lockout.) This would go on to be the biggest move of their offseason. In fact, this is the largest contract handed out by Elias since he was hired as the GM in 2018. It seems the M.O. is to focus on the youth pipeline until it’s fully connected to the majors, with little concern given to the short-term competitiveness or watchability of the big league team. Spend as little as possible and wait for the kids to arrive.

In other offseason news, it was announced in January that the dimensions of Oriole Park at Camden Yards would be changing, with the left field fences being both pushed back and elevated. This is an attempt to curtail the extreme homer-friendly nature of the park, which has allowed the most dingers in the league since it opened in 1992. Elias later admitted that the club also hopes this will help them lure free agent pitchers to Baltimore in future seasons.

After the lockout, the Lyles deal was made official and the O’s also signed Robinson Chirinos. At the time, the 37-year-old was the only catcher on the 40-man roster but was still expected to be the backup to top prospect Adley Rutschman. But Chirinos will become the starting catcher for now, as Rutschman was later shut down with a triceps strain that’s expected to keep him out of action until mid-April. Anthony Bemboom was upgraded from depth option to big league backup.

As the calendar flipped to April, Tanner Scott and Cole Sulser were sent to Miami. In exchange, Baltimore received a couple of prospects, a player to be named later and the Marlins’ pick in Competitive Balance Round B in the upcoming draft, yet another move dedicated towards building the team of the future. After that, Chris Owings had his contract selected. He had a  .326/.420/.628 line with the Rockies last year before a broken thumb curtailed the remainder of his season. He can act as a veteran utility man and perhaps turn into a trade chip if he can hit at anywhere near last year’s pace.

That’s surely what Orioles fans will be focused on, the future, for the present and the recent past provide little to feel good about. Baltimore has finished last in the AL East in four out of the last five seasons, with the only exception being the shortened 2020 campaign when the Red Sox burrowed beneath them. Five years of almost constant basement dwelling seem almost certainly to carry forward into a sixth, as Baltimore’s four division mates are all projected to be quite strong yet again, on the heels of each winning at least 91 games last year.

When it comes to the future, though, there’s plenty to be excited about. Baseball America’s most recent Organization Talent Rankings placed the Orioles system fourth on the list, with many of the club’s top prospects nearing their MLB debuts. Rutschman, considered by many to be the best prospect in the game right now, seemed like he had a chance to crack the Opening Day roster before the unfortunate injury news. That will push his debut down the road but hopefully not for too long. Grayson Rodriguez will start this year in Triple-A, meaning he could push for a roster spot soon. D.L. Hall and Gunnar Henderson will be just behind in Double-A.

The path out of the bottom of the AL East will be steep, but with an impressive collection of prospects about to join the squad, it’s possible that this is the year where it actually feels like the Orioles are climbing. Though they haven’t spent any money in recent years, that also means they have a wide open future payroll. Just about everything comes off the books this year, including the ill-fated Chris Davis contract. Though 2022 is likely to be another dreadful year, it should only get better from here.

Orioles Outright Isaac Mattson

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The Orioles announced this afternoon that reliever Isaac Mattson has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk. The move clears a spot on the Baltimore 40-man roster, which now sits at 39.

Baltimore added Mattson to the roster last offseason to keep him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft. The O’s had previously acquired the University of Pittsburgh product from the Angels as part of the Dylan Bundy trade in December 2019. Mattson made his first four big league appearances last season, allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and five walks.

It was a rough season with Norfolk, where the righty spent the majority of the year. He tossed 17 1/3 innings in 18 outings, pitching to a 6.23 ERA. The 26-year-old had a solid 29.6% strikeout percentage and 7.4% walk rate, but he was plagued by a .447 opponents batting average on balls in play.

Mattson has never before been outrighted and doesn’t have the requisite service time to refuse the assignment. He’ll remain in Norfolk — where he’d already been after the O’s optioned him to start the year — and try to pitch his way back onto the 40-man roster.

Orioles Sign Matt Harvey To Minor League Deal

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APRIL 8: Baltimore announced they’ve signed Harvey to a minor league contract. He’ll make a prorated $1MM salary for any time spent in the big leagues, reports Dan Connolly of the Athletic, with a $500K assignment bonus in the event of a trade.

APRIL 7: The Orioles are close to bringing right-hander Matt Harvey back to the organization on a minor league deal, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. The Boras Corporation client will report to extended Spring Training and build up toward a potential debut relatively early in the season.

Harvey, 33, spent the 2021 season in Baltimore and soaked up 127 2/3 innings while getting knocked around to the tune of a 6.27 ERA. His fastball, which once averaged 96.9 mph, sat at 93.6 mph, while his 16.3% strikeout rate was among the lowest marks of his career. Harvey’s 6.4% walk rate was considerably better than the league average, but the once-vaunted righty didn’t give much other reason to hope for a return to his “Dark Knight” form.

The Orioles, however, aren’t attempting to compete in 2022 anyhow and need some extra arms to eat innings in a similar role that Harvey held last season. He clearly made a solid impression on the organization and in the clubhouse, so he’ll have the opportunity to return for a second season.

Harvey was in the spotlight this offseason as a witness in the trial of former Angels communications director Eric Kay, who has been charged with providing opioids that led to the death of Tyler Skaggs. Harvey acknowledged on the stand that he has previously used opioids and other drugs, particularly during his time with the Mets, but the right-hander has by all accounts moved past that history of drug abuse. Orioles GM Mike Elias acknowledged to reporters that Harvey’s role in the Kay/Skaggs trial does make it a “very unique situation” (link via Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun).

Minor MLB Transactions: 4/7/22

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The Mariners have signed right-hander Jairo Diaz to a minor league deal, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Diaz had an excellent season for the Rockies in 2019, throwing 57 2/3 innings out of their bullpen. His 4.53 ERA might not look impressive at first glance, but for someone calling Coors Field home during the “juiced ball” season, that’s nothing to sneeze at. His 25.7% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate were both better than league average.

Unfortunately, things went in the wrong direction for Diaz in 2020, as his ERA shot up to 7.65, along with a 16% strikeout rate and 13.2% walk rate. He was outrighted in 2021, throwing just 7 1/3 Triple-A innings on the year due to injuries. For the Mariners, this is a no-risk way of bolstering their bullpen depth.

Some other moves from Opening Day 2022…

  • The Mariners also signed minor league deals with lefty Rob Kaminsky and infielder Taylor Featherston, per the team’s transactions tracker at MLB.com. Kaminsky has 4 2/3 innings of MLB experience, which came with the Cardinals in 2020. Last year, he signed a minors deal with the Phillies but was held to just one inning of work in the minors due to a left elbow osteophyte. The last time he saw extensive work was 2019, when he pitched 56 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, with a 3.54 ERA, 25.7% strikeout rate and 9.3% walk rate. As for Featherston, he saw MLB action from 2015-2017, appearing in 137 games but hitting just .160/.221/.256. He didn’t play at all in 2020 or 2021, meaning his last action was 2019. He split that year between Double-A and Triple-A with the Royals, hitting .241/.303/.426, but with a 38.7% strikeout rate.
  • The Orioles traded minor league shortstop Mason McCoy to the Mariners for cash considerations, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. He was selected by the Orioles in the sixth round of the 2017 draft and has been with the organization for his whole career thus far. In 2020, he cracked Baseball America’s list of the top 30 Baltimore prospects, coming in at #29. BA’s report indicated that his defensive game is stronger his offensive output, which he certainly showed in 2021. In 112 Triple-A games, McCoy hit .221/.288/.368, striking out in 29.2% of his plate appearances. However, he did steal 13 bags and spent time at shortstop, second base, third base, left field and center field.
  • Tigers announced that left-hander Miguel Del Pozo, who was designated for assignment yesterday, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Toledo. The 29-year-old logged 5 1/3 MLB innings last year, throwing 38 1/3 in Triple-A. In that time with the Mud Hens, he had a 2.82 ERA with a 34.6% strikeout rate and a 10.3% walk rate.

Orioles To Select Anthony Bemboom, Chris Owings

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The Orioles have finalized their Opening Day roster, which will include non-roster invitees Chris Owings and Anthony Bemboom, manager Brandon Hyde announced to reporters this morning (Twitter link via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). Both will need to be selected to the team’s 40-man roster, but the O’s have a pair of open spots, so no corresponding moves will be necessary (barring additional activity on the waiver wire, trade market, free agency, etc.).

Owings, 30, went 6-for-26 with a homer and three doubles in 26 plate appearances during Spring Training, though he also posted an unsightly 10-to-1 K/BB ratio. A lack of walks isn’t a new issue for Owings, who has drawn a free pass in just 5.4% of his 2396 career plate appearances at the MLB level. Owings briefly appeared with the Rockies in each of the past two seasons, hitting a combined .298/.372/.536 in a tiny sample of 94 trips to the plate.

Owings’ broader track record is that of an OBP-challenged utilityman with a bit of pop and above-average speed, evidenced by a lifetime .243/.288/.372 batting line, 37 homers and 78 steals. He smacked a career-high 12 home runs with the D-backs in 2017 and averaged 15 steals per year as a primarily part-time player in Arizona from 2015-18. Owings has experience playing each of shortstop, second base, third base and all three outfield slots. He grades out as a well-below-average defender at short but has average or better defensive marks at every other position, per Defensive Runs Saved. DRS pegs him as a plus defender at second base, though other metrics like Ultimate Zone Rating and Outs Above Average have him closer to a scratch defender there. Owings will likely hold down a utility spot with the O’s to begin the year.

As for Bemboom, he’ll serve as Baltimore’s backup behind veteran starter Robinson Chirinos. All eyes in Baltimore will be on top overall prospect Adley Rutschman, the 2019 No. 1 overall pick and the clear catcher of the future, but he was stalled in Spring Training by a triceps injury. He’s still ramping up toward game action and will likely require some minor league work before the O’s even consider bringing him up to the big league roster.

In the meantime, Bemboom will get some big league time for a fourth consecutive season. He made his big league debut with the Rays in 2019 before being traded to the Angels, where he’s spent a fair bit of time on the big league roster. In 54 total Major League games and 144 plate appearances, the 32-year-old Bemboom is a .178/.241/.287 hitter. He went 4-for-13 with a double during Spring Training and carries a career .252/.347/.398 batting line in parts of five Triple-A seasons.

Tommy Davis Passes Away

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The Orioles announced this morning that two-time MLB batting champion Tommy Davis has passed away. He was 83 years old.

Davis had a lengthy professional career, appearing in parts of 18 big league seasons. He broke in with a single game for the Dodgers in 1959, then finished fifth in NL Rookie of the Year balloting the following season. The right-handed hitting Davis would quickly go on to a lot of success in Los Angeles, particularly beginning with his age-23 campaign in 1962.

During that 1962 season, Davis hit .346/.374/.535 with a personal-best 27 home runs. He led the majors in batting average, hits (230) and RBI (153), helping the team to a 102-win season. Davis was selected to the All-Star game and finished third in that year’s NL MVP voting behind teammate Maury Wills and Willie Mays. He followed up that excellent showing with another batting title and All-Star appearance, hitting .326/.359/.457 en route to an eighth-place finish in MVP voting. Davis collected six hits in that year’s World Series, a four-game sweep over the Yankees.

Davis would stay in L.A. through 1966 before beginning a second act that saw him bounce around the league. He was traded to the Mets in advance of the 1967 campaign. After a season in Queens, New York flipped him to the White Sox. He played in Chicago in 1968, then split the following season between the Pilots and Astros. Davis played with Houston, the A’s and the Cubs in 1970 before returning to Oakland the year after. After a bounceback campaign that saw him hit .324 in half a season’s worth of playing time, Davis struggled with the Cubs and Orioles in 1972 but found a new gear in his mid-30s.

Working exclusively as a designated hitter from that point forth, Davis thrived. He posted back-to-back above-average offensive showings in Baltimore in 1973-74. He remained an Oriole through 1975 and suited up with two more teams — the Angels and Royals — before retiring after the ’76 campaign.

That Davis stuck around for so long and caught the attention of so many teams was a testament to his strong contact skills. He retired a career .294/.329/.405 hitter, having eclipsed more than 2,100 hits. The Brooklyn native tallied 272 doubles, 153 homers and drove in 1,052 runs and came just one game shy of 2,000 in the majors. MLBTR sends our condolences to Davis’ family, friends, former teammates and loved ones.

Marlins Acquire Tanner Scott, Cole Sulser From Orioles

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8:56PM: Both teams have officially announced the trade.  To clear 40-man roster space for Scott and Sulser, the Marlins have designated left-hander Nick Neidert for assignment and placed lefty Sean Guenther on the 60-day injured list.  MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola reported Friday that Guenther was dealing with an arm injury that may require surgery.

5:52PM: The Marlins have acquired left-hander Tanner Scott and right-hander Cole Sulser from the Orioles.  MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported (Twitter links) Scott’s inclusion in the deal, while The Miami Herald’s Craig Mish reported that Sulser had also been dealt.  Feinsand reports that the Orioles will receive prospects Antonio Velez and Kevin Guerrero, a player to be named later, and the Marlins’ pick in Competitive Balance Round B of this summer’s amateur draft.

The bullpen was known to be a target area for Miami, and the Fish have now bolstered their relief core with a pair of experienced arms.  In Sulser, the Marlins have also found a new closer candidate, as Sulser saved eight games with Baltimore last season.  While the Marlins aren’t expected to have a full-time closer, there is a vacancy for the ninth inning, as Dylan Floro is expected to start the season on the injured list.

Sulser is a late bloomer who didn’t make his MLB debut until he was 29, so he is still controlled through the 2025 season even though he only recently celebrated his 32nd birthday.  Injuries played a factor in Sulser’s late start, as he underwent two Tommy John surgeries (one in college, and the other in 2015 when he was pitching in Cleveland’s farm system).  He finally surfaced in the majors with the Rays in 2019, and then came to Baltimore on a waiver claim at the end of the 2019 season.

After posting a 5.56 ERA over 22 2/3 innings in 2020, Sulser broke out with a 2.70 ERA over 63 1/3 relief innings for Baltimore last season.  Though his 8.9% walk rate ranked only in the 40th percentile of all pitchers (as per Statcast), Sulser’s 28.4% strikeout rate was well above average, and fit in the high strikeout totals he has posted during his minor league career.

Scott also hasn’t had much trouble missing bats, but the southpaw’s control issues have resulted in some inconsistent numbers over 156 Major League innings.  Scott has an ungainly 13.6% walk rate during his MLB career, which is a big reason why he has posted only a 4.73 ERA with the Orioles despite a 50.1% grounder rate and a 29.4% strikeout rate.

Between those numbers, Scott’s mid-90s fastball, and his three remaining years of arbitration control (Scott is set to earn $1.05MM this season after avoiding arbitration with the O’s), it is easy to see why Scott has drawn his share of trade buzz over the years.  As well, Sulser’s name also surfaced in trade rumors earlier this year, as the rebuilding Orioles continue to be open for business on pretty much everyone on the roster.

In fact, the Marlins themselves swung another notable bullpen trade with the O’s back in August 2020, picking up Richard Bleier.  Sulser and Bleier will now join Anthony Bass and Anthony Bender as Miami’s top save candidates, with Floro joining the mix when he returns to action.  It is quite possible more names might end up emerging as closer possibilities for manager Don Mattingly, or one of those relievers might pitch well enough to firmly establish themselves as the top choice for the ninth inning.

From Baltimore’s perspective, the CBR-B draft pick may be the biggest score of the trade return.  The Competitive Balance Rounds are two separate draft rounds that respectively take place after the first round and second round of the draft, with 15 teams (all falling within the bottom 10 of market or revenue size) getting a bonus pick in one of the two rounds.  For the 2022 draft, the Marlins were selected into CBR-B and had the first pick of that round.  As it so happens, Baltimore will now be picking first in both Competitive Balance Rounds, as the O’s also have the first selection of CBR-A.  The Competitive Balance picks are the only draft selections that are allowed to be traded.

Baseball America ranked Guerrero 29th and Velez 34th on their most recent list of the Marlins’ top 40 prospects.  Guerrero is a 17-year-old outfielder who was part of the 2020-21 international signing class, and he hit .260/.373/.298 in 159 PA this past summer with the Marlins’ Dominican Summer League squad.  BA’s scouting report describes him as something of a work in progress, as his “future will be based around the way his body develops,” given that Guerrero is already 6’3″ but only 165 pounds.

Velez is a Miami native who wasn’t drafted coming out of Florida State, owing to the shortened nature of the 2020 draft.  Baseball America credited Velez as having the best changeup and best control of any pitcher in the Marlins’ farm system, which is no small achievement given all of the high-profile young arms in Miami’s minor league ranks.  In addition to that quality changeup, Velez’s “low-90s fastball is amplified by vertical break that borders on double-plus.”

While the Orioles continue to bolster their minor league ranks, today’s trade marks yet another move that depletes the MLB roster.  Sulser was tentatively set to act as Baltimore’s closer, and since Scott was also in the mix for save chances, it is now an open question as to who will end up getting ninth-inning duties.  Paul Fry, Jorge Lopez, and Dillon Tate look like the next men up on the depth chart, though any number of pitchers could be cycled through depending on performance, shifting roles, injuries, and perhaps more trades.

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