Sugano reshuffles latest Orioles mock 26-man roster

The holiday week is right around the corner, when baseball doesn’t have to shut down but often gets quiet.

The Orioles traded for pitcher Jonathan Heasley on Dec. 18, 2023 and didn’t announce another move until signing free-agent catchers David Bañuelos and Michael Pérez on the 30^th. Their only transactions in December 2021 were minor league deals, the last on the 15^th. But they made an exception in 2022 with a flurry that included the James McCann trade and Mychal Givens signing on the 21^st, and sending first baseman Lewin Díaz to the Braves on the 23^rd.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias got agreements on two major league contracts right before this year’s Winter Meetings, securing outfielder Tyler O’Neill and catcher Gary Sánchez, and Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano signed with the club on Monday.

The roster probably isn’t done undergoing changes. Elias seems intent on finding at least one more reliever and he could continue his pursuit of a starter despite Sugano’s $13 million contract. Sugano isn’t a No. 1, which either keeps the search alive or leaves the Orioles choosing between Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin and being satisfied with bolstering the middle of the rotation.

The 40-man roster is full and a 13-man pitching staff unexpectedly includes Sugano at $13 million. Per the Associated Press, he also can earn an additional $50,000 for an All-Star selection, $100,000 for winning the Cy Young Award, $75,000 for finishing in second place, $50,000 for finishing in third, $50,000 for winning a Gold Glove; $100,000 for being World Series Most Valuable Player, and $50,000 for being Championship Series MVP.

Sugano can’t be optioned to the minors without his consent. Perhaps the Orioles would consider a bullpen role over trying to convince him to go to Triple-A if he’s unable to win a starting job. But that’s getting ahead of ourselves.

The six-pitch mix makes more sense in the rotation, but he can’t get lit up in spring training and assume that a job is held for him.

Another starter could arrive via free agency or trade, someone who slots higher. In the meantime, a revised mock roster finds Rodriguez, Eflin, Sugano and Dean Kremer as the top four starters, in whatever order, with competition for the fifth spot including Albert Suárez, Cade Povich, Trevor Rogers, Chayce McDermott and Brandon Young – the last two rating as the longest shots. Povich and Rogers would provide a left-hander.

Corbin Burnes is unsigned and the Orioles aren’t out of the running for him. He’d give the club one of the best rotations in the American League and markedly improve its chances of winning the pennant. However, watching or exceeding the eight years that the Yankees gave Max Fried drags them miles outside of their comfort zone for a pitcher.

The bullpen still has six apparent locks in Félix Bautista, Seranthony Domínguez, Yenner Cano, Cionel Pérez, Gregory Soto and Keegan Akin. Any of the failed starters could drop into it. A full 40-man roster also includes Bryan Baker, Colin Selby, Kade Strowd and Luis González.

There’s also the possibility of the Orioles employing six starters to better replicate Sugano’s workload in Japan and also ease the strain on other starters, especially Rodriguez, who hasn’t produced a full healthy season in the majors. But the strain would transfer to the bullpen. Going a man short is risky in the early months, particularly with Bautista returning from Tommy John surgery.

Robbing Peter to pay Paul can be criminal.

Nothing has happened to disrupt the position player mocks. Sánchez and Adley Rutschman are the catchers. O’Neill, Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins and Heston Kjerstad are the outfielders. Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Ryan Mountcastle, Ryan O’Hearn, Jackson Holliday, Ramón Urías and Jorge Mateo are the favorites to fill the seven infield spots, with Coby Mayo and Emmanuel Rivera trying to crash the party.

I’d still put Liván Soto behind those two as long as Urías and Mateo are with the club. Soto’s utility skills aren’t as important, and he’s vulnerable when the Orioles need to create room on the 40-man.