Three more pending decisions for Orioles impacting roster and payroll

The offseason for the Orioles has inched into another day while other playoff teams are having all the fun.

The crowd will keep thinning until it’s time for the World Series and we’re down to two. I’m just going by how it’s worked in the past.

I never posted it or gave it much thought. but I blurted out "Guardians and Phillies" when asked for my picks. The Astros were my runner-up in the American League. I was fixated on closers, and Emmanuel Clase and Josh Hader put their teams ahead of the others.

What do I know?

Let’s check out three more decisions for the Orioles that are part of the offseason meeting agenda.

What to do with James McCann.

Major League Baseball certainly has a say in it. McCann is a pending free agent and the market opens five days after the World Series at 5 p.m. Set your watches.

The Orioles have their own voice. They can search for another veteran backup to Adley Rutschman, let McCann’s agent field offers and jump in the bidding, or perhaps try to work out an extension before other teams are allowed to make their pitches. There's logic in that one.

You’ve got to dig deeper than the slash line to really appreciate McCann’s value. He’s hit .228/.274/.382 over two seasons after the Orioles acquired him from the Mets on Dec. 21, 2022, and maybe they try to get more offense out of the position. Samuel Basallo, their No. 2 prospect, isn’t ready to break camp next spring. They could stay in-house with Blake Hunt or Maverick Handley, with the latter eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 draft.

Pitchers really like throwing to McCann, which isn’t a commentary on Rutschman. It’s a statement about McCann. And no one in baseball, maybe any sport, is tougher than this guy. If you need more proof, I don’t know what to tell you.

A veteran who joined the team during the season said, “This is McCann’s clubhouse.” Let that sink in.

The days of four-year, $40.6 million contracts for the 34-year-old McCann are over, but he’s going to generate interest. We’ll find out how much of it comes from the Orioles.

What to do with Seranthony Domínguez.

The Orioles traded popular outfielder Austin Hays to the Phillies for Domínguez a week before the deadline. Hays was a non-tender candidate if he stayed. Parting with him wasn’t a complete shocker. But it was a gamble to remove a right-handed bat, which the Orioles had to replace, and Gold Glove-caliber left fielder who also was a big part of the team’s chemistry.

Messing with it while chasing another division title was risky. A player who returned from Triple-A noticed a change.

The bullpen needed a boost with Craig Kimbrel struggling so badly in the second half. It would have been targeted anyway. Domínguez brought closing experience and he pretty much inherited the role with 10 saves to go with his 3.97 ERA in 25 games. The six home runs in 22 2/3 innings, including two walk-off shots at Citi Field, were a downer and raised some concerns about a potential hiccup in the playoffs.

Domínguez appeared in both Wild Card games and retired all five batters faced, but manager Brandon Hyde didn’t have any save decisions to make. The Orioles must decide whether Domínguez is worth the $8 million option that would make him their highest paid reliever.

Félix Bautista is expected to be in the bullpen on Opening Day and he gets first crack at closing again. Proof of new ownership’s willingness to spend would include paying that much for a setup man.

Orioles' relievers combined for a 4.22 ERA that ranked 23^rd in the majors, a mighty tumble from the 3.55 ERA in 2023 that ranked fifth. They missed Bautista, as expected. Having Domínguez to pair with Yennier Cano, or to replace the right-hander if he isn’t available, and getting full seasons out of Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb, make the unit better on paper.  

What to do with Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander.

I’m talking about qualifying offers and whether the Orioles make them.

The QO, as we’ll call it, is projected to land around $21.2 million, an increase from $20.325 last year. The Orioles haven’t been remotely tempted in past years, but 2024 is different.

Burnes and Santander are different.

You can let the free agents walk and receive nothing, or you can make the QO and receive a compensatory draft pick if they decline it and sign with another team. Burnes will break the bank, stomp on it with both feet and back his car over it. He’s gonna put other free-agent pitchers to shame. He ain’t accepting a one-year deal for $21.2 million. Take the pick.

Santander is one of the most appealing outfielders, though he must stand behind Juan Soto and maybe Teoscar Hernández. He hit 44 home runs, third in the majors, and also reached a career high with 102 RBIs. The first All-Star berth also was a nice touch. The low on-base percentage will or won't be ignored.

He’s made it clear multiple times and I’ve written multiple times that he wants to stay. But that means getting the long-term deal that he’s earned. His value is at its highest. That’s when you go from hitting home runs to hitting the market.

* The Orioles and chief revenue officer T.J. Brightman mutually agreed yesterday that his contract wouldn't be renewed, according to multiple sources.

Brightman had two stints in the organization, beginning with his role as vice president of corporate sales and sponsorships from 2003-05. He returned in 2019 and oversaw the team's ticket and corporate sales, and also helped to bring concerts to Camden Yards under former control person John Angelos and orchestrate the long-term sponsorship deal with T. Rowe Price.