Opening Day is just three days away, and while there is nothing concrete, it would appear that the 25-man roster is pretty much set. We know that Danny Valencia made the team as the utility infielder and designated hitter. We know that Pedro Alvarez is headed north to backup at first base and fill the hole left in the lineup by Mark Trumbo’s ailing quadriceps.
We know that Colby Rasmus and Anthony Santander will form a platoon in right field with Craig Gentry providing late-game defense, pinch-running capabilities, and the occasional spot start. And we know that Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner, and Chris Tillman were signed to bolster a rotation that posted a MLB–and franchise–worst 5.70 ERA in 2017.
What we didn’t know until this weekend was how the Orioles’ bullpen would shape up. The team entered camp with basically three holes to fill in the ‘pen, including a giant one left by Zach Britton, who should return in early June from an Achilles injury. This past weekend, the bullpen decisions were made as the final pieces of the roster were put into place.
Bullpen
When camp opened in mid-February, there was battle for the fifth spot in the Orioles rotation. Pitchers Mike Wright, Jr., Miguel Castro, Gabriel Ynoa, Hunter Harvey, and Rule V picks Nestor Cortes, Jr., and Jose Mesa, Jr. would all square off in a battle to make the ball club out of spring training. They all also knew that there were spots to be won in the bullpen, but that there was more competition for those spots in Josh Edgin, Joely Rodriguez, and Rule V pick Pedro Araujo.
Despite a number of names for only a few spots, these things have a habit of working themselves out. And that’s exactly what they did.
Pedro Araujo (GulfBird Sports/Craig Landefeld)
The major domino to fall was the signing of Alex Cobb. While Cobb won’t be ready to start the season, his addition meant that Jose Mesa, Jr. would be DFA’d and offered back to the Yankees. It meant that Hunter Harvey would be optioned to Double-A Bowie. And it also meant that there would now be seven names for the remaining three spots.
Simple math would suggest that a number of players would be leaving Sarasota disappointed.
Ynoa left with disappointment for another reason. Out of options, he had to make to make the club out of spring training or be put on waivers before the Orioles could reassign him, a move that would almost certainly result in his being claimed by another team.
Thrown into the mix for the final rotation spot, Ynoa came down with shin splints and will begin the 2018 season on the disabled list, delaying what might be an inevitable decision for the ball club. With Ynoa’s fate put off for a later date, the final spots came down to Wright, Castro, Cortes, Araujo, Edgin, and Rodriguez.
Cortes and Araujo had to make the team due to their Rule V status if the Orioles wanted to keep them in the organization, otherwise they would have to be offered back to their respective ball clubs. Cortes has had success throughout the minor leagues as both a starter and a reliever, and the fact that he is left-handed certainly gave him a leg up. He has made the team and will likely begin the year in long relief.
Araujo was a bigger question mark because it is more difficult to justify using a roster spot on a pure reliever, especially one who has never pitched above double-A. Still, Araujo has a big arm and has had success throughout his minor league career. Add to that the fact that he pitched very well this spring (3.72 ERA in nine appearances) and that the Orioles strongly covet his services, and it should come as no surprise that Araujo will be heading north with the club.
As stated earlier, the Cobb signing has had a ripple effect on the organization. Mike Wright, Jr. was the leading candidate for that fifth rotation spot, and now could be potentially jobless. But not on March 29th. Since Cobb will not be ready until April 9th at the earliest, Wright has made the club and will likely be called upon when the Orioles need a fifth starter in the early going.
It is difficult to envision Wright staying with the team all season, based solely on his MLB track record and the fact that he is out of options, but once Cobb debuts the Orioles will give Wright the opportunity to stick as a long man out of the bullpen. They simply like his arm too much to give up on him just yet and are hoping that with his back against the wall, he will finally perform up to his potential.
The biggest debate could be on what to do with Miguel Castro. When you look at what he did in 2017 out of the bullpen (3.53 ERA in 39 games covering 66.1 IP), he certainly earned the opportunity to compete for a rotation spot this spring. Based on what he did this spring (6.39 ERA in 4 games covering 12.2 IP), a trip to Norfolk to gain experience in their rotation would seem to be the logical choice.
Miguel Castro (GulfBird Sports/Craig Landefeld)
The past won out in this instance, logic be damned. Castro will be part of the Orioles Opening Day roster and will likely resume the long relief role in which he shined last season. With the third and final bullpen spot taken by Castro (again, Wright will likely begin the year in the “rotation”), that means Josh Edgin and Joely Rodriguez have failed to make the ball club, perhaps unjustifiably so.
Edgin and Rodriguez had phenomenal springs, combining to allow just 2 runs in 17.1 IP. When it came down to it, that they are on minor league deals and/or had options played a huge role in the decision to break camp without both of these men.
On the field, they were certainly deserving, but with so many likeable arms without options it really left Buck Showalter with a difficult decision. Still, both Edgin and Rodriguez are likely to see time on the big league roster this summer, and if they perform as they did in Sarasota, it will be difficult to send them back down.
Now that the roster has become clear, the time has come to get the season underway. It should be interesting to see how this roster looks at season’s end. A major league roster is in constant flux and the roster you start with is never the same roster with which you end. Still, this should be a fun season in Baltimore.
With that in mind, stay tuned for my AL East predictions and my MLB predictions, coming soon.
