Sep 1, 2021; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Rougned Odor (12) celebrates with teammates after scoring in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
With the lockout of major league players by the owners looming after the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement on Wednesday evening at 11:59 p.m., the Orioles were busy on Tuesday.
They offered contracts to three of their six arbitration-eligible players and signed the other three.
First baseman/designated hitter Trey Mancini and left-handed starter John Means, the two biggest names, were offered contracts, as was left-handed reliever Tanner Scott.
The Orioles were able to sign their other three arbitration-eligible players to one-year contracts — outfielder Anthony Santander, right-hander Jorge López and left-hander Paul Fry.
Mancini, Means and Scott will have to exchange figures and come to an agreement, avoiding arbitration as soon as the lockout ends, unless they’re able to do so by Wednesday night.
Santander, who lost in arbitration a year ago, agreed on a deal, reportedly for $3.1 million. He made $2.1 million in 2021 after he lost his arbitration case.
The beginnings of a 2022 bullpen are on the 40-man roster with Fry, López and Scott rejoining Cole Sulser, Dillon Tate and Tyler Wells. Two recent waiver wire claims, left-hander Cionel Pérez and right-hander Bryan Baker, also will be auditioning.
Right-handers Joey Krehbiel and Isaac Mattson, who combined for nine appearances, are also on the roster.
Besides 40-man roster additions Félix Bautista and Logan Gillaspie, Marcos Diplán, Travis Lakins and Spenser Watkins, all outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, also can challenge for bullpen spots.
When the Rule 5 draft, originally scheduled for December 8th, occurs it’s likely the Orioles will look for additional pitching help, both starting and relief. One possible contender for a bullpen spot, right-hander Brooks Kriske, was released so that he could pursue an international contract.
Adding Odor: The Orioles signed infielder Rougned Odor to a one-year contract on Tuesday night. Fans might remember Odor’s fight with longtime Oriole nemesis, José Bautista.
Odor hit 146 home runs in seven years with the Texas Rangers, but they moved on from him last spring, eating the final two years of his six-year, $49.5 million contract. The New York Yankees paid Odor the minimum salary last season, and that’s all the Orioles would have to pay him.
He’s not known for his defense. His lifetime defensive WAR (Wins Above Replacement) is .7. Odor is also a high strikeout player. Besides his 146 homers, he struck out 799 times in seven years with Texas.
For the first time in his career, Odor played some third base with the Yankees, starting 29 games there. Since the Orioles are thin at third, it’s possible he will play some third as well.
Room was created on the 40-man roster when two infielders, Lucius Fox, who was on the roster for just 11 days, was claimed by the Washington Nationals, and Richie Martin was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.
The Orioles have Jahmai Jones, Jorge Mateo and Ramón Urías as returning middle infield candidates. Terrin Vavra, who played second base at Double-A Bowie but hasn’t yet played at Triple-A Norfolk, has been added to the roster, and the team will likely look at the infielders who weren’t offered contracts by their teams on Tuesday.
Three years ago, Martin was the first overall choice in the Rule 5 draft. After he played the 2019 season with the Orioles, the plan was to send him to Norfolk. However, the pandemic and a broken wrist ended that plan. Martin didn’t play at all in 2020 and missed more than two months because of another broken wrist in 2021.
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I’m a lifetime Oriole fan who lives in Dallas and has had Rangers season tickets for years. Odor stunk up the Rangers lineup for too long and I was elated when the Yankees picked him up. For those who think he’ll hit HRs at OPACY, look how well that worked out for the Bombers and their short porch. For those who think he’s a steal at the league minimum, why didn’t the Yankees keep him? He’s not a good player nor a good teammate, and we aren’t improving the team by picking up other teams throwaways. It’s just another confounding move by Oriole management.
Have to agree TBF...
Someone in the Warehouse vapor-locked or they know things mere mortals don't.
This one is a head scratcher....
BC, I’m going with vapor-locked…lol…go O’s…
Just another clear indication that the Wo’s will relocate to Nashville after 2023 when the lease expires.
Rich I guess the Rule 5 draft goes on regardless of the Lockdown? Odor--just a stop-gap. Good D,terrible lifetime BA,a little pop. He's just another Villar,Alberto,Iglesias at this point. Hey maybe he can even grow that goutee' back again. Poor Richie Martin-keeps getting squeezed further away. Thank God there's finally talent coming along that can muffle the complaints about recent/current signings. So let me get this strait--until the darkness of this shutdown ends the only pitching additions will come via the Rule 5 draft and Minor League signings? In the meantime Rutschman STILL gets his AB's.
All major league transactions will be frozen, Al, so no Rule 5 draft until the lockout ends.
Odor is a terrible signing. If you wanted to have a guy hit for power with a low average you could’ve just kept Davis around. He’s a terrible defender. He has -26 drs in his career. At least get some guys that can play defense. No wonder our pitchers have terrible numbers. Particularly when you’re throwing to Severino and have terrible defenders. We could’ve traded for Joey Wendle. Nope gotta settle for the retread in odor.
The 2022 bullpen is shaping up to look at lot like the 2021 version. Who would have seen that coming?
Stevie Wonder, Helen Keller, etc, not much has changed…go O’s…
By far MLB’s worst bullpen. Even worse than last year without Harvey.
Really? Who would you have traded? I am not saying Odor should have been signed, probably not. Doesn't make any difference one way or the other. Need the CBA to be completed to be able to sign available players. Alberto was non rendered by KC, bring him back, Collar is still available, Iglesias, Galvis.... Final roster is a long way off.
Fry will not make it through ST.
Odor is just another placeholder not guaranteed to even make the roster at league minimum. I’m fine with that. Personally I’d like to see them give a shot to Vavra, Mateo, Bannon, McCoy, Martin (healthy), Gutierrez just to see what they can do. In the end it’s just more competition and someone to hold a spot for half a season until someone else is ready. More changes coming before opening day.
I agree.. Elias just did it to rile up all the GM wannabes
Shamus is back!!
"Fans might remember Odor’s fight with longtime Oriole nemesis, José Bautista."
This is true Rich .... that is probably the ONLY reason anybody around here recognizes the name.
Another "What the Heck"" signing by the boy genius, that will amount to nothing more than a bookmark in the pages of this tiring, never ending rebuild. I know a lot of you are enchanted by K.Gutierrez, but my guess is that Elias will give this guy (Odor) a look-see and 3B just as he has kicked the tires on his past two experiments at the position, Franco and Rio Whatshisname.
O's sign Odor? As long as he doesn't regrow that hideous beard while wearing the uniform .. meh ... who cares? He won't be around in 2027 when it all supposedly comes together now, will he?
There is no rebuilding going on. Club liabilities are being trimmed repeatedly and often to prepare the club to be sold at the end of the 2023 season, if not sooner.
Best baseball punch I have ever seen!
You must have missed the Alan Mills clocking of Daryl Strawberry.
Forgot, 2nd best!
Sorry but Nolan Ryan roughing up Robin Ventura was my winner. That classic headlock and pummeling was something to behold.
Texas tough!
Loved the Express pummeling of Ventura…go O’s…
I dunno .... as fun as that Ryan/Venture tussel was to watch, it really looked like nothing more than a boatload of noogies to the skull to me.
I’ll forgive Ryan for that. At that point in his career, surprised his arm was still attached to his body. Loved the 20 year age disparity he had on Ventura, too.
Speaking of noogies, how about Benitez’ impression of a windmill in that Yanks/O’s brawl, eh?
I'll have to go google/youtube that one.
You forgot Tyler Wells.
I did, thank you.
It’s worth taking a flyer on Odor for the league minimum and see what he brings to spring training. He doesn’t have to make the roster north, just provide some competition to push the younger talent.
Just another garbage dumpster pick up where odor permeates.
Just another garbage dumpster pick up where Odor resonates.
Just another garbage dumpster pick up. The charade continues unabated.
Just another garbage dumpster pick up.
Alex Cobb, who has pitched a total of 158 innings over the past three seasons, gets a $20 million / 2 year contract with the Giants.
Another former O who will probably thrive in their system
He should still be an Oriole. Freakin' Elias
Lopez, Wells, and maybe Sulser. The rest are part of the 110 loss non-existant bullpen, I thought we had seen the last of Tate and Scott but they must have gotten better over the Winter (Yeah, right). And the infield is made up of Mancini and Mountcastle at 1B/DH and 2nd, 3rd, and SS are made up of ???? at this point, non-MLB players. But I'm sure the Boy Genius is saying "The (imaginary) rebuild (gag) is coming along as planned and The O's will make the playoffs by 2030 for sure"