Orioles full of offseason surprises

Making the qualifying offer to Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander probably was the most predictable act performed by the Orioles since the playoffs. Tendering contracts to the top players on their arbitration list also could be seen from miles.  

Like any offseason, there also have been a fair share of surprises. Here are a batch, in no particular order.

The return of Daz Cameron.

Cameron spent the 2023 season with Triple-A Norfolk, appearing in 110 games and batting .268/.346/.452 with 23 doubles, 16 home runs and 67 RBIs in 446 plate appearances. He didn’t make the club in spring training and didn’t have his contract selected.

That seemed to be the conclusion of a Cameron connection to the Orioles, who had selected him on waivers from the Tigers in November 2022. The son of three-time Gold Glove winner Mike Cameron signed with the Athletics a year later and hit .200 with a .587 OPS in 66 games. The Orioles acquired him for cash considerations on Oct. 31.

It’s spooky when a player returns from the proverbial dead.

Cameron is a right-handed hitting outfielder, which checks an important box, but the Orioles are aiming much higher. He’ll compete for a bench spot and be asked again about his father.

Kade Strowd is protected in the Rule 5 draft.

Brandon Young was the obvious choice to join the 40-man roster. Strowd, also a right-hander, made it despite his 6.80 ERA and 1.854 WHIP in 37 relief appearances with Norfolk.

The Orioles obviously like his arm and the 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings with the Tides. He didn’t allow an earned run in 10 1/3 innings with Double-A Bowie before moving up. There must have been a sense that he could be selected if exposed in the Rule 5 draft.

Strowd is a long shot to make the club but the bullpen has a few openings. They could be closed by the time that pitchers and catchers report to spring training, but he will get the opportunity to impress the major league staff and strengthen his chances of pitching in the majors in 2025.

The Orioles decline Danny Coulombe’s option.

Another reminder of what happens when you assume.

Coulombe figured to again serve as a high-leverage left-hander in the bullpen after posting a 2.12 ERA and 0.674 WHIP in 33 games. However, he’s 35 years old and missed more than three months after surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.

The option paid $4 million. The Orioles will funnel that money elsewhere while also trusting their southpaw depth in the ‘pen.

The Orioles non-tender Jacob Webb.

Webb was expected to return after registering a 3.02 ERA and 1.182 WHIP in 60 appearances. MLBTradeRumors.com projected his salary at $1.7 million after he won his arbitration hearing in February and earned $1 million.

Perhaps the right elbow inflammation that cost Webb six weeks prompted the Orioles to send him into the free-agent market. There could be other factors, of  course.

They weren’t going to leave the unit intact beyond Félix Bautista’s return after it ranked 23^rd in the majors with a 4.22 ERA. They’re trying to sign or acquire another reliever.

Emmanuel Rivera agrees to terms.

The Orioles tendered contracts to 12 of their 13 arbitration-eligible players. Only one is signed for 2025.

Rivera went from non-tender candidate to recipient of a $1 million deal. MLBTradeRumors.com projected his salary at $1.4 million.

Making the club will be a challenge with all of the infielders on the roster. Rivera is out of minor league options. He could be traded in camp if he’s headed for waivers. But all it takes is one injury to change the odds.

Moving in the left field fence.

It was bound to happen.

The Orioles “overcorrected” the dimensions prior to the 2022 season, as executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias stated in his video call. Right-handed hitters felt tortured. Pitchers loved it.

We were reminded that the change wouldn't necessarily be permanent, but I don’t know if many people thought the club would react to it after only three seasons.  

Luis González is on the 40-man roster.

The Orioles didn’t wait until the deadline for protecting players in the Rule 5 draft to select González’s contract. They did it on Nov. 4.

González is 32 and he hasn’t pitched in the majors. The Orioles signed him as a free agent back in 2013 before he joined the Giants organization in 2021 and returned in October 2023.

The 4.50 ERA this year in 44 appearances with Norfolk wasn’t a deterrent. He walked 12 batters and struck out 71 in 60 innings. That was a big selling point.

I saw some predictions on protected players and I don’t recall reading González’s name. I hadn’t considered him.

René Pinto is on the 40-man roster.

"Why Pinto?"

(burps): "Why not?"

RIP John Belushi.

Pinto joins Adley Rutschman and Blake Hunt after the Orioles claimed him on waivers from the Rays. Who made that prediction? Bring them to me.

Elias isn’t done searching for a backup and he could close out the competition with a James McCann-type acquisition. They haven’t closed the door in his return. There’s interest in other catchers, as well, including Elías Díaz. Pinto will be in camp and at the least provide depth at Triple-A.

Robinson Chirinos is the new bench coach.

I just wrote about this again.

There was rumored interest in reuniting manager Brandon Hyde with David Ross, who were together with the Cubs. Ross has managing experience. It wasn't a reach.

It might have been exaggerated. Maybe we'll never know for sure.

Chirinos hasn’t coached at any level and now he holds an important role, especially if Hyde is ejected from a game. But he was considered coaching and managing material back when he played. It was just a matter of time.

I doubt that many people thought the time was now, but it’s happening.

* Something else is happening. I won't be posting any stories for the next few days while I'm back at Sinai Hospital.

Nothing serious. The cardiologist wants to switch my AFib medication and the new stuff only can be administered in the hospital, since I'll need to be monitored. If I'm lucky, I'll spend only two nights away from home and my laptop.