The Major League Baseball offseason is still ongoing, and the Baltimore Orioles are among the teams that are closely linked to a number of possible trades.
It was once believed that they might actually shell out some cash to sign a prominent free agent.
Since that hasn’t happened thus far, it is now anticipated that the Orioles will utilize their trade assets to acquire the outstanding starting pitcher they seek.
Baltimore is reportedly aggressively looking for their staff’s ace, whether it’s with the Miami Marlins for Jesus Luzardo or the Chicago White Sox for Dylan Cease.
Thus, don’t rule out the possibility that they return to the free agency market and sign Marcus Stroman, a two-time All-Star who has been connected to the Orioles by Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter.
“They did look like a potential fit for Sonny Gray (3/$75M) and Lucas Giolito (2/$38.5M), who have since inked shorter deals this offseason, and Marcus Stroman falls into that same tier of the pitching market,” he states.
During the first part of the previous season, while pitching for the Chicago Cubs, the right-hander was among the best in the league. His ERA skyrocketed and he was forced to miss time due to an injury that completely ruined his season.
Despite this, he ended the season with a 3.95 ERA and has now had six seasons in a row with an ERA below 4.00.
If signed by Baltimore, the 32-year-old might not be placed in the starting lineup. Although Stroman might be their third best option behind Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez, he would still significantly improve their rotation.
Based on 141 innings pitched, a WHIP of 1.241, 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings, and a sub-4.00 ERA, Baseball Reference projects a strong season for the seasoned starter in 2024.
According to Reuter, the Orioles might offer Stroman a three-year, $70 million contract, which is exactly what they were hoping to offer to Lucas Giolito and Sonny Gray in terms of annual average value.
It’s unclear if Baltimore will attempt to add a player through both the trade and free agency markets, but it appears that they are considering a number of options before the offseason ends.
BRAD WAKAI’S BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Brad Wakai received his journalism degree from Penn State University. He worked at the student radio station as an undergrad, covering a variety of Penn State sports programs, including football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and other games.
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Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox are reportedly in talks with the Baltimore Orioles on pitcher trades.