O's made offer to Franco, Kremer and Zimmermann shine

Though the Orioles seemed more inclined to pass on the remaining free agents and wait for camp cuts or opt-outs, they're trying to work out a deal with third baseman Maikel Franco.

A source confirmed today that the Orioles have an offer on the table. MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported that the sides are getting close.

The Orioles definitely are trying to get Franco, which blows up roster predictions for opening day.

Third base is the one unsettled position in camp. Rio Ruiz entered it as the favorite based on past experience and usage, but he's 1-for-12 this spring after batting .222/.286/.427 with 11 doubles and nine home runs last summer in 54 games. He also experienced a defensive slump in the second half.

Ruiz hasn't played in more than a week, due to an illness. He's expected in the lineup on Monday.

Rylan Bannon remains in camp and is an option at third base, but the Orioles might prefer to give him more experience at Triple-A. Pat Valaika, Ramón Urías and Stevie Wilkerson are utility candidates who play the position.

Franco, 28, is a career .252/.304/.433 hitter in seven major league seasons with the Phillies and Royals, the latter signing him as a free agent in December 2019. He's made 638 starts at third base and eight at first, and has a career minus-2.9 dWAR per BaseballReference.com.

Fangraphs.com calculated his DRS (defensive runs saved) improving from minus-2 in 2019 with the Phillies to 0 in 2020, and his UZR (ultimate zone rating) improving from -0.1 to 1.3.

The Royals signed Franco to a $2.95 million contract last winter and he was hampered by a leg injury, but managed to appear in all 60 games while slashing .278/.321/.457 with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 38 RBIs. He's been non-tendered by the Phillies and Royals the past two years.

Franco was eligible for arbitration and MLBTradeRumors.com projected his salary at $4.5 million.

The Orioles could utilize the right-handed hitting Franco in a platoon, but Ruiz, who has two minor league options, is a reverse-splits guy and Franco is a career .256/.302/.437 hitter against right-handers and a .238/.309/.421 hitter versus lefties.

Maybe it isn't the best idea.

Franco has made four starts at Camden Yards and gone 3-for-16 with a home run.

There's always the possibility of turning a player on a one-year deal into a trade chip. Franco could join shortstop Freddy Galvis, also a former Phillies infielder, as the team's lone major league free agent signings.

Meanwhile, Dean Kremer allowed one run and three hits in three innings today in a 5-1 loss to the Tigers in Lakeland. He walked two and struck out four, and Bruce Zimmermann replaced him after 58 pitches.

In his last two appearances, Kremer has held opponents to only one run in six innings and struck out seven batters.

Kremer allowed a hit and walked a batter with two outs in the first inning, but he also struck out Robbie Grossman looking at a 96.5 mph sinker. Former Oriole Jonathan Schoop drew the walk.

Twelve of Kremer's 18 pitches were strikes.

Back-to-back singles to begin the second inning led to a run on JaCoby Jones' ground ball, but the Orioles tied the game in the fourth and averted back-to-back shutouts on doubles by Ryan Mountcastle and Urías. Mountcastle was 2-for-20 before his at-bat and also doubled in the sixth.

"He drove the ball to left and drove the ball to right, so only a matter of time for Ryan," manager Brandon Hyde said on his Zoom call. "I love when he has a middle-of-the-field approach. He's got so much power to both sides of the diamond, he's just got to relax a little bit. He was a little jumpy early in camp."

Zimmermann is making a hard sales pitch for inclusion on the opening day roster. He retired the first nine batters today, tossed four scoreless and hitless innings and hasn't allowed a run this spring in nine frames. He threw 30 of 48 pitches for strikes against the Tigers.

The Loyola Blakefield graduate has surrendered only one hit, with three walks and 10 strikeouts. He escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh.

"I thought he threw this way last spring," Hyde said. "He had four pitches going. I think the velo's ticked up a little bit, seeing some 94, 95s. Confidence in four pitches, slider was good today, threw some good curveballs underneath, his fastball's got really good life. So picked up where he left off and he's throwing the ball really well."

Don't read anything into Zimmermann's work out of the bullpen. He's stretching out and could break camp as a starter.

"We're building him up just like we are with Dean and a lot of our starting candidates," Hyde said. "He's going to pitch with a clean inning to start his outing, whether it's the first inning or the fifth inning.

"It's nothing to do with the bullpen. ... I see him as a starting-rotation candidate."

Zimmermann is piggybacking Kremer and they appear to be motivating each other. In the same games in Florida, perhaps destined to be on the same pitching staff in April.

"He's probably my closest friend," Kremer said in his Zoom call. "As soon as we got traded together, we linked up and pretty much haven't left each other's side since. Our schedules are aligned, so it works out perfect. Our schedules are pretty similar and we get to push each other throughout the week and hopefully compete for a job."

The Tigers broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth on Zack Short's three-run homer off Travis Lakins Sr. and Akil Baddoo's solo shot.

The Orioles (3-10-1) were held to one hit yesterday in a 5-0 loss, but almost scored today in the third inning. Ryan McKenna singled and stole second, but Grossman threw him out at the plate on Austin Wynns' single.

One run would have to suffice today. The Orioles have been held to two or fewer in five of their last seven games. They've scored three runs in their last three games.

"I was happy with how we swung the bats, especially the first seven innings," said Hyde, whose club was held to four hits. "I thought we (hit) 11 balls hard, we hit a lot of balls right at people, so I thought we had some really good spring training at-bats."

Update: The Orioles are finalizing their deal with Franco, as Heyman reported earlier tonight.

The talks intensified over the course of the day, according to a source.

There are some details to work out and a physical to pass, but an agreement is coming. The sides are approaching the finish line.