Orioles remove Kriske, Fox from 40-man roster (with multiple updates)

While the Orioles are busy making contract decisions on their arbitration eligible players, with the deadline set at 8 p.m. tonight, they also cleared two spots on a 40-man roster that's no longer filled.

Reliever Brooks Kriske was released to pursue an international opportunity, according to the club, confirming news that appeared this morning on baseball's transactions page. And the Nationals claimed infielder Lucius Fox off waivers, ending his stay with the Orioles only two weeks after they claimed him from the Royals.

Kriske made four appearances after the Orioles claimed him from the Yankees on Sept. 16 and he posted a 12.27 ERA in 3 2/3 innings.

Fox, a native of the Bahamas, was a top 30 prospect in multiple organizations after the Giants paid him a club-record $6 million signing bonus in 2015, when scouts considered him one of the top athletes on the international market.

A switch-hitter with plus speed and arm strength, he's batted .244/.339/.332 in five minor league seasons and stole 142 bases. He went 19-for-21 this summer at Triple-A Omaha.

The Orioles wanted to get him through waivers, but the Nationals ruined those plans.

The 40-man roster is down to 38 players and a non-tender could create more room. The club has six due raises in arbitration: First baseman Trey Mancini, outfielder Anthony Santander, and pitchers John Means, Jorge López, Paul Fry and Tanner Scott.

Mancini collected three separate Comeback Player of the Year awards after missing the 2020 season following a spring training diagnosis of Stage 3 colon cancer and undergoing surgery and six months of chemotherapy treatments.

Working back to the form that earned him the Most Valuable Oriole award in 2019, Mancini appeared in 147 games this summer and slashed .255/.326/.432 with 33 doubles, 21 home runs, 71 RBIs and 77 runs scored. His 38 multi-hit games ranked second on the Orioles behind Cedric Mullins (46), he tallied an extra-base hit in a career-long six straight games from July 21-28 and drew a walk in a career-high eight consecutive games from Sept. 3-14.

His accomplishments also included a dramatic runner-up finish in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby in Colorado

MLBTradeRumors.com projected Mancini's salary at $7.9 million after he earned $4.75 million in 2021. The Orioles will keep gauging the trade market with Mancini approaching free agency next winter and the team still short of contender status.

Santander remains a candidate to be traded after generating interest last winter, but his stock isn't particularly high after a sprained ankle in April hindered him throughout the summer and contributed to a .241/.286/.433 line in 110 games. He didn't play after Sept. 26 due to a sprained right knee and had received treatment for a sore left hamstring.

The Orioles can keep Santander in right field on opening day if they don't non-tender him or move him to another team.

Means was 6-9 with a 3.62 ERA and 1.030 WHIP in 26 starts and threw a no-hitter May 5 in Seattle. Six scoreless innings in his next start against the Mets lowered his ERA to 1.21, but he went on the injured list June 6 with a strained left shoulder and didn't return until July 20.

Teams are contacting executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias to discuss trade proposals, but the Orioles are expected to hold onto Means and again make him the opening day starter.

López went 3-14 with a 6.07 ERA and 1.627 WHIP in 33 games with the Orioles, the last eight in relief after losing his place in the rotation. He was shut down after Sept. 6 with a sprained ankle, but made a nice impression in the bullpen with a 2.16 ERA, 0.960 WHIP, 10 strikeouts and .194 average against in 8 1/3 innings.

Manager Brandon Hyde can use López in multiple relief roles, including high leverage situations late in the game. His effectiveness wanes when batters get multiple looks at him, which makes the right-hander better suited for the 'pen if he stays.

Fry posted a 6.08 ERA and 1.521 WHIP in 52 games and didn't return to the Orioles after they optioned him Aug. 29. His command disappeared, though reports at Triple-A Norfolk grew a little more favorable late in the summer.

Hyde made Fry the closer earlier in the season and the left-hander registered a 1.78 ERA in his first 26 appearances before the season unraveled on him. He had an 11.05 ERA in his next 26 games and didn't pitch for the Orioles again after allowing four runs and two hits with two walks and a home run in one-third of an inning against the Rays.

The Orioles must base their evaluation of Fry, beyond his projected raise, on his 2020 and early 2021 results or the hard fall that ensued.

Scott made two stops on the injured list with a sprained left knee and registered a 5.17 ERA and 1.574 WHIP in 62 appearances, allowing six runs and retiring only one Blue Jays batter in his final game on Sept. 14. He averaged 6.2 walks per nine innings and had a 10.80 ERA in his last 20 outings, but he also averaged 11.7 strikeouts.

Scott had a 2.65 ERA and .180 average against on July 18, his plus fastball and slider making him a formidable weapon, before his season also began to come apart at the seams.

Here are MLBTradeRumors.com's projections and the 2021 salaries:

Mancini: $7.9 million/$4.75 million
Means $3.1 million/$593,500
Santander $3.7 million/$2.1 million
López $1.5 million/$586,750
Fry $1.1 million/$581,000
Scott $1 million/$580,000

Update: Santander agreed to a deal worth $3.15 million, as first reported by MLB.com.

The sides went to an arbitration hearing last winter and the Orioles won. Santander's agent had submitted $2.45 million.

Update II: After expressing interest in Rougned Odor earlier this year, doing some background work after he became available, the Orioles reportedly are close to reaching agreement on a one-year deal.

Odor, 27, spent seven seasons with the Rangers before the Yankees acquired him in an April 6 trade. He appeared in 102 games and batted .202/.286/.379 with 12 doubles and 15 home runs in 361 plate appearances.

Odor played third base for the only time as a professional, making 29 starts, but has accumulated 874 starts at second base in the majors.

The position is unsettled with the Orioles, who have Jahmai Jones, Ramón Urías, Jorge Mateo and Richie Martin on the 40-man roster. Pat Valaika was outrighted and became a free agent.

The Orioles claimed former Gold Glove winner Yolmer Sánchez off waivers to play second base last season, but released him late in spring training.

Odor is a career .234/.289/.433 hitter in 960 games and hit 30 or more home runs in 2016, 2017 and 2019. His 178 strikeouts in 2019 tied for the American League lead.

The Rangers signed Odor to a six-year, $49.5 million extension in March 2017. The Yankees released him last week.

The Athletic first reported that the Orioles were close to signing Odor.

Also, the Orioles avoided arbitration with López by reaching agreement on a $1.5 million deal, according to a source. FanSided.com first reported the news.

Four players remain on the arbitration list.

Update III: Fry is signing for $850,000, and the Orioles are tendering contracts to Mancini, Means and Scott, according to sources.

Update IV: Martin was outrighted to Triple-A, leaving the Orioles with 37 players on the 40-man. Odor would make 38 if he signs.

I'm told the Orioles are working on it.

Update V: And now it's official.

The Orioles announced tonight that they signed Odor to a one-year deal.

Odor, a native of Venezuela, has played in 24 career games at Camden Yards and slashed .294/.368/.447 (25-for-85). Since the 2014 season, he ranks third in games played at second base with 908), trailing only DJ LeMahieu (915) and Jose Altuve (1,049).

Odor's 157 home runs as a second baseman since 2014 are the most among active players. He was a Gold Glove finalist in 2018.