The O's pen from the left side without Danny Coulombe and a few other thoughts

Yep, surprising news indeed. Of the five players the O’s held contract options on for the 2025 season, most would have guessed one they surely would bring back at $4 million for next year is lefty reliever Danny Coulombe.  He’s been a reliable high-leverage reliever for two years for this team. A 2.12 ERA in 2024 and an ERA of 2.56 and WHIP of 0.95
Orioles

Meneses and Vargas helped make lean years more fun

Ildemaro Vargas and Joey Meneses arrived in Washington one day apart from each other, Vargas getting the call up from Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 1, 2022, to replace the traded Ehire Adrianza and Meneses called up the following afternoon to replace the traded Juan Soto. Neither was a household name upon donning a Nationals uniform for the first time
Masn Nationals

Seeking answers to five Orioles questions

It’s another slow day for me. At least that’s what I’m told. Or “ordered” is more like it. (This would be funny if I didn’t survive the surgery but the story ran anyway. Now that’s a slow day.) Here are some topics and decisions hovering around the Orioles. You can do the heavy lifting today and tell me what’s going to happen. Apologies in advance

Orioles

Nationals part ways with Meneses, Vargas, Ward and Rucker

The Nationals made a flurry of transactions to clear up space on their 40-man roster this evening, parting ways with a couple of well-known veterans in the process. Joey Meneses and Ildemaro Vargas both cleared outright waivers and chose to become free agents rather than remain in the organization. The same was true of Triple-A right-hander Michael
Masn Nationals

O's pick up 2025 contract options on three players, but decline option for Danny Coulombe (updated twice)

The Orioles have picked up 2025 contract options on first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, lefty reliever Cionel Pérez and righty reliever Seranthony Domínguez. But in a surprise move, they declined the $4 million 2025 contract option on lefty reliever Danny Coulombe. The club today also made the procedural move of reinstating pitchers Félix Bautis
Masn Orioles
O's Anthony Santander, Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg are Silver Slugger finalists
Steve Melewski
Orioles
An Orioles offense that ranked second in the American League and fourth in the majors in runs per game in 2024, has produced three Silver Slugger finalists in Anthony Santander, Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg. The Orioles are also up for the American League offensive team of the year. Their batters did slump in the second half and scored just
To platoon or not, that is the question. Should O's alter their approach?
Steve Melewski
Orioles
When I wrote this blog last week, it was a blog that, as I said then, where I was just thinking out loud about ways the Orioles could make small improvements in 2025 in how they do business. This is not about the makeup of the roster so much, about adding or subtracting players, but about how the Orioles employ the players they do have. That earlie
What to watch for as the offseason officially begins
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
Halloween has come and gone. The leaves have changed colors and are beginning to fall to the ground. Daylight Saving Time is finished for the year, leaving us with the oh-so-depressing 5 p.m. sunset for the next few months. And the 2024 Major League Baseball season has ended. The Dodgers wrapped up the World Series five nights ago, which means the
Some premature Orioles prediction talk
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The offseason gives media a chance to make early predictions on free-agent signings, trades and other activity while waiting for actual news. Don’t pay any attention to early World Series odds. No team has a set roster in November. Can we at least wait until spring training? OK, if you’re going to press me, the Orioles make the playoffs in 2025. Th
No Gold Glove for Young, no 2025 option for Gallo
Mark Zuckerman
Masn
Jacob Young’s rookie season for the Nationals, while stellar in the field, was not ultimately deemed golden. Despite holding a statistical advantage over his fellow nominees, Young lost out to Rockies center fielder Brenton Doyle, who earned his second straight Gold Glove Award tonight. Doyle beat out Young and the Brewers’ Blake Perkins in balloti
Two finalists, but no Orioles win a Gold Glove this year
Steve Melewski
Orioles
With just two Gold Glove winners since the 2015 season, the Orioles will not add to that total this year. The Orioles had two finalists with Ryan Mountcastle at first base and Colton Cowser in left field, but neither won the Rawlings Gold Glove when the winners were announced tonight during a live ESPN broadcast. Minnesota’s Carlos Santana won at f
Comparing Crews and Holliday as they start their big league careers
Bobby Blanco
Nationals
I want to thank reader and commenter Peter Wood for posing this question back in September that I thought was an interesting topic to address in the offseason: Who do we think will have a better career, Dylan Crews or Jackson Holliday? It is, of course, way too early to make any proclamation one way or the other. But with each playing a substantial
First offseason edition: Several questions for O's fans
Steve Melewski
Orioles
It's about that time. A time when I ask the readers here a few Orioles questions and get your input. Answer one question or all of them. Provide short answers or long ones. Respond to what other readers have to say. It's not a quiz and won't be graded. There are no right or wrong answers. If you cannot participate today there will be other chances
Mailbag leftovers for breakfast
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Another mailbag left me with another batch of leftovers. Grab a plate. You ask and I answer. Everybody knows the rules. Everybody also knows that my mailbag signs long-term extensions and your mailbag gets cut by Rancho Cucamonga. Why the mass exodus?Too much Taco Bell. Oh, you mean changes on the coaching staff and in the front office. Some left o
Orioles decline Jiménez option for 2025
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
The Orioles made one decision today regarding club options for 2025 and it was the easiest to forecast. The team announced that it declined the $16.5 million option on Eloy Jiménez’s contract, which puts him on the free agent market. His deal with the White Sox included a $3 million buyout. Jiménez wasn’t staying with the Orioles after batting .232
       
52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61