SARASOTA — As Baltimore Orioles pitchers arrived to spring training in early February, there was a potential opening in the rotation and up to three spots up for grabs in the bullpen.
In the two days prior to the official start of camp, the Orioles front office weakened the odds for roster hopefuls — officially signing Korean right-hander Suk-min Yoon to a three-year contract and agreeing on a reported four-year deal with veteran righty Ubaldo Jimenez.
Yoon may not crack the rotation as originally believed now that Jimenez is in the fold. And the addition of the 6-foot-5 former Colorado Rockies and Cleveland Indians hurler also complicates the situation for a series of rotation and bullpen hopefuls.
In particular, left-hander Zach Britton’s hopes of landing a spot in the rotation are virtually dashed — barring injury. The one-time prospect is out of options at age 26 and coming off a solid finish to an otherwise up-and-down 2013, he was believed to have in inside track on the fifth slot in the rotation before the mid-February additions.
Now, Britton — and a group of others including 2013 Rule 5 pick and long reliever T.J. McFarland, non-roster free agent veteran Alfredo Aceves and top prospect Kevin Gausman — may be facing the likelihood of finding better luck as a reliever.
Britton would make sense in relief, joining fellow lefty Brian Matusz to form a solid one-two punch with valuable situational left-hander Troy Patton opening the year on a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Gausman and McFarland, meanwhile, would likely open the season with the Class AAA Norfolk rotation, and Aceves could be used as a long-reliever — on call to make spot starts or key relief appearances as needed.
The only major loophole to the plans would be in the event that Bud Norris struggles, and one of the other options out-pitches him in the Grapefruit League. And there’s always the chance the Orioles could trade a young pitcher to help boost the offense.
The Orioles will find a place for whichever hurler performs his way onto the roster in the spring, but the competition tightened suddenly as camp came together.
NOTES, QUOTES
— RHP Ubaldo Jimenez agreed to a four-year contract reportedly worth around $50 million, breaking a long-standing club tradition of avoiding contracts longer than three years with free-agent pitchers. He will provide some support to young, up-and-coming starters RHP Chris Tillman and LHP Wei-Yin Chen, slotting somewhere in the top three spots in the rotation. His signing costs the Orioles their first-round pick — 17th overall.
— RHP Suk-min Yoon officially signed a three-year deal with the Orioles as the full club reported for spring training. Yoon, 27, is a three-time All-Star in Korea who also pitched in the World Baseball Classic. He could be used in the rotation or in relief.
— INF/OF Jimmy Paredes was claimed on waivers by the Kansas City Royals, less than a week after the Orioles obtained him on waivers. Paredes was let go in order to make room on the 40-man roster for Yoon. The Orioles had claimed the 25-year-old from the Marlins just two days before he was snatched up by the Royals.
— RHP Tommy Hunter has the inside track on the closer’s role and has little competition other than himself to open camp. But the Orioles have some fall-back options on the roster, including set-up man Darren O’Day, veteran non-roster invite Alfredo Aceves and even Bud Norris, who is slated to be the club’s fourth or fifth starter. Hunter impressed officials with an uptick in his fastball the past two years as a reliever, but consistency and keeping the ball in the ballpark will be crucial for him in his new role.
— OF Delmon Young was a rather quiet addition this offseason, but he could have a very large role in the Orioles’ lineup. Without an everyday left fielder or designated hitter, Young could see regular at-bats as a platoon player in both spots. He would share at-bats in both, likely with OFs Nolan Reimold, David Lough and Henry Urrutia — the trio believed to have the inside track on open outfield spots. Lough,
who bats left, like Urrutia, is projected to see most of the playing time in left.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “There have been some good baseball people who have had this guy who have had some bumps in the road. I’m not blind to that. I’m not any smarter than they are, but I’m real confident that, if it’s there, we can find it.” — Manager Buck Showalter on RHP Alfredo Aceves.
ROSTER REPORT
Changes to rotation and bullpen after signing Yoon and agreeing to a deal with Jimenez, plus addition to medical watch. No changes to lineup.
PROJECTED ROTATION
1. RHP Chris Tillman
2. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez
3. LHP Wei-Yin Chen
4. RHP Bud Norris
5. RHP Miguel Gonzalez
Suk-min Yoon signed a three-year deal right before the opening of camp — and just before Jimenez agreed to a four-year deal. The signings virtually lock down the rotation, barring an injury. If Gonzalez (lower back tightness) is rested early, Yoon and a handful of others — non-roster RHPs Liam Hendriks and Alfredo Aceves, as well as returning LHPs Zach Britton and T.J. McFarland — will be in line for the fifth starter spot. Otherwise, they’ll filter into a long relief competition. Tillman likely takes the ball on opening day. Look for RHP Kevin Gausman to challenge for a spot in camp, but open the season at Class AAA Norfolk, awaiting a mid-season call-up. RHP Dylan Bundy (elbow surgery) is working toward a June return.
PROJECTED BULLPEN
RHP Tommy Hunter
RHP Darren O’Day
LHP Brian Matusz
RHP Ryan Webb
RHP Josh Stinson or RHP Steve Johnson
RHP Alfredo Aceves or RHP Suk-min Yoon
LHP Zach Britton or LHP T.J. McFarland
The relief corps will be without All-Star closer Jim Johnson after he was dealt to Oakland, so the main storyline for the group in camp will be Hunter, who is the probable choice to take over. Beyond that, the club will be without LHP Troy Patton (suspended for 25 games) to open the season. That almost guarantees Matusz, who was slated to work as a starter early in camp, will stay in the bullpen rather than jump to the rotation.
A series of long relievers/spot starters, including Aceves, Stinson, Yoon, Steve Johnson and lefties like Britton, McFarland and Mike Belfiore, will battle for the final three spots. Aside from Belfiore, that group is also in contention for a spot in the rotation. RHPs Edgmer Escalona and Brad Brach, and LHPs Chris Jones and Kelvin De La Cruz are on the 40-man roster, but may be long-shots.
MEDICAL WATCH
— RHP Miguel Gonzalez (back tightness) was slowed at the beginning of camp. He was held back from throwing on the first few days in Sarasota.