Orioles decline Reynolds' option, add Clark to 40-man roster

The Orioles have declined to pick up first baseman Mark Reynolds' $11 million option for 2013. They exercised the $1 million option on reliever Luis Ayala's contract. Both of these moves were anticipated for months. Reynolds, 29, is arbitration-eligible, which leaves the Orioles with another decision. He made $7.5 million this season and a raise could increase his salary to around $9 million. The Orioles may non-tender Reynolds and attempt to re-sign him, but they'd risk losing him as a free agent. He batted .221/.335/.429 with 23 home runs and 69 RBIs in 135 games, and he gave the Orioles plus defense at first base after moving across the diamond. Ayala, 34, went 5-5 with a 2.64 ERA in 66 appearances over 75 innings for the Orioles, allowing one earned run or fewer in 59 outings. Also, the Orioles have selected the contract of former UMBC pitcher Zach Clark, who went a combined 15-7 with a 2.79 ERA in 28 games (26 starts) for Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk in 2012. Clark, a Delaware native, was signed by Orioles scout Dean Albany as a non-drafted free agent in 2006. He's 49-44 with a 3.68 ERA in 171 games (116 starts) in seven years. I wrote about Clark earlier this month. The Orioles currently have 36 players on the 40-man roster, in addition to five players on the 60-day disabled list.