The O's are trading or releasing some relievers this off season

[wildcard]

Why?   Because in a 8 man bullpen they can't/shouldn't have 6 relievers with no options.

Coulombe, Perez, Irvin, Lopez, Baumann, Webb will have no options left next season.

Also I think Fuji will be offered a 3 year contract in FA now that the O's have shown he can be a valuable reliever that throws 100 mph.  And my guess is the O's are not going to offer him 3 years.

Bautista may be injured.

That leaves Cano, Wells (maybe a starter), Hall, Tate, Baker,  Krehbiel, Akin and Vespi with options.

The O's may go with 3 or 4 relievers with no options but I don't think six will be on the team.

Edited September 12, 2023 by wildcard

[sportsfan8703]

8 man bullpen with a 5 man rotation. We can carry 6 with no options. Elias and Sig like to hoard. I don’t see them just giving away depth. We probably won’t bring Lopez back unless he agrees to a number lower than his projected Arb number. 

This is where we want to be.  We’ll keep our AL best depth. We may move on from guys like Tate and Akin because of Arb numbers. 

As we keep winning, we’ll see our depth grow at the end of seasons for the next seasons because of teams simply releasing vets. Enjoy the depth. 

[wildcard]

12 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

8 man bullpen with a 5 man rotation. We can carry 6 with no options. Elias and Sig like to hoard. I don’t see them just giving away depth. We probably won’t bring Lopez back unless he agrees to a number lower than his projected Arb number. 

This is where we want to be.  We’ll keep our AL best depth. We may move on from guys like Tate and Akin because of Arb numbers. 

As we keep winning, we’ll see our depth grow at the end of seasons for the next seasons because of teams simply releasing vets. Enjoy the depth. 

You proved I can't count.   I corrected it.

[oriole]

Akin and Lopez are good as gone. One of Irvin or Perez as well, possibly both. As guys enter arbitration I can see them being traded or waived just to save a few million. 

[waroriole]

Ok then get rid of Perez, then Baumann, then Webb, if needed. But there’s no reason to do anything like that until Opening Day. 

[RZNJ]

18 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

8 man bullpen with a 5 man rotation. We can carry 6 with no options. Elias and Sig like to hoard. I don’t see them just giving away depth. We probably won’t bring Lopez back unless he agrees to a number lower than his projected Arb number. 

This is where we want to be.  We’ll keep our AL best depth. We may move on from guys like Tate and Akin because of Arb numbers. 

As we keep winning, we’ll see our depth grow at the end of seasons for the next seasons because of teams simply releasing vets. Enjoy the depth. 

Jorge is making 3.5M this year and having a bad year.  Will he make more than 4M next year?   I think the O’s would be fine with that if they think they can get something close to the all-star version.   
 

Baker and Baumann are still in the picture.   As of today, I see next years pen as something like this.

Cano

Coulombe

Webb

Lopez

Hall

Baumann

Perez

Irvin

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by RZNJ

[wildcard]

3 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Jorge is making 3.5M this year and having a bad year.  Will he make more than 4M next year?   I think the O’s would be fine with that if they think they can get something close to the all-star version.   
 

Baker and Baumann are still in the picture.   As of today, I see next years pen as something like this.

Cano

Coulombe

Webb

Lopez

Hall

Baumann

Perez

Irvin

 

So 6 with no options?

[Bird Lady]

I believe the whole reason the Orioles brought Lopez back was they intend on keeping him next year with Bautista out. There would be no purpose otherwise.

[RZNJ]

Just now, wildcard said:

So 6 with no options?

For now.  

[CaptainRedbeard]

Was Akin optioned this year or just put on IL? He only had one option coming into this season. If he kept the option that probably saves his 40-man spot for now.

Tate and Lopez are non-tender candidates. Tate made $1.5M and Lopez $3.5M this year. They won’t get much in the way of raises going through arb again, but they probably don’t pay Tate unless they are confident he will make a full recovery. Lopez I think they definitely want to keep around but not sure how much they will seek to pinch pennies. 

Baumann is the guy most likely on thin ice for getting pushed out next year due to not having options.

[CaptainRedbeard]

9 minutes ago, wildcard said:

So 6 with no options?

I think they can go into the season with 6 with no options on paper. There are always injuries. I agree they ultimately will need at least one spot to be able to churn optionable guys through, though, and Cano is not going to get optioned, so that’s pretty much the max.

If they commit to Wells and Hall as RP at the start of the season they also are not likely to have them riding the AAA shuttle. 

[Moose Milligan]

Tate doesn’t figure into any plans?

[Aristotelian]

I wonder if they can flip Coulombe and Webb for some kind of return. High upside guys with options similar to Cano.

[Aristotelian]

38 minutes ago, Bird Lady said:

I believe the whole reason the Orioles brought Lopez back was they intend on keeping him next year with Bautista out. There would be no purpose otherwise.

I think this is correct but more as a Plan B/insurance option rather than Plan A. I would like to see them spend some money on a good reliable veteran for 1-2 years. Then they can get rid of Jorge.

[e16bball]

I think Cionel Perez should probably be in a different category than a lot of these other names. 

Yes, it was an ugly start to the season. But we’re talking about a guy who has a 2.22 ERA (with a 2.77 FIP) since June 1, a stretch that looks a whole lot like he’s been exactly back to his excellent 2022 level. 

That’s enough track record that I think you have to pencil him as a keeper, obviously pending what happens over the next month plus.