Oriole right-handed Albert Suárez Roch Kubatko of Masnsports.com wrote that MRI is scheduled to take place tomorrow. This should determine whether a 35-year-old man is at risk of any surgery.
It’s a loss year for Suarez, who is a surprisingly valuable part of the 2024 pitcher. The Traveler made 24 of 32 appearances a season ago, working at 3.70 ERA in 133 2/3 innings. Suarez has started this year for a long time. After one appearance, he injured his shoulder and was diagnosed with a rotator cuff strain, which caused him to lose to him for the next four months.
By the time Suarez returns in September, the Orioles are already in short supply. He played four times, nine innings in two rounds. Then there was inflammation of the elbow that left him in trouble and raised questions about his future. Suárez was eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz is paid $900,000. It would be reasonable if the Orioles expected him to be healthy next season, but any serious injury could cause them to throw him out of the 40-man squad.
Suárez is one of 14 players in Baltimore who are eligible for arbitration. Ryan Mountcastle The group has the highest estimated salary, at 7.8mm. It would be a surprise if O brought him back to that number after an injured season. Mountcastle suffered from a grade 2 hamstring strain at the end of May. This put him on the list of injured outside the trade deadline. He stayed healthy in the last six weeks and cut .255/.293/.393 in 157 board appearances. He hit the plate on nearly a third of his trip.
The 28-year-old also struggled early this season. He ended the year with a line of 0.250/.286/.367 while hitting seven home runs in 89 games. Orioles use him as a part-time player, providing 23-year-olds with first base jobs every day Coby Mayo. Even Mayo and rookie receivers/designated batsmen are not Samuel Basallo There’s a nice season, O’s probably looking for a cheaper senior backup bat to work behind those young batsmen.
Mountcastle acknowledged uncertainty about his future on the last weekend of the regular season (linked by Baltimore Baseball’s Rich Dubroff). The 2015 third-round draft pick noted that his decision “had no control over what happened” but praised his coaches and teammates with whom he worked with during the organization’s decade. Baltimore may buy him in the trade, but they have a hard time finding interest in that arbitration salary. Non-inclination seems more likely. That would put him into free agency and make him an interesting rebounding candidate for a club club with a cheaper one-year contract.
Elsewhere in the lineup, there is a question mark in the center field of O. back Cedric Mullins The deal was made at the deadline, the oriole played Colton Cowser In the middle. Although his small sample defensive rating is tolerant, his average speed makes him more suitable for the right field throughout the season. After the All-Star game, Cowser’s second half was terrible in the second half of the plate, at .178/.263/.340. He missed the time of his concussion and suffered a ruptured rib in June.
There aren’t many internal alternatives to O. Dylan Beaver Playing in the corner outfield as a rookie. He is an above average runner with some midfield experience among minors, but he plays more of the right areas in the game in the system. Former first round player Enrique Bradfield A undoubtedly center outfielder who played well in Double-A, but after advancing to Triple-A Norfolk late in the season, he beat .179 in 15 games. He may start in the year for a minor.
Jake Rill of MLB.com suggested this morning that O should look for an external upgrade, ideally hitting from the right. Cowser, Beavers and Bradfield each hit the left hand. Harrison Bud A free agent suitable for the bill, but he should provide daily playing time on at least a strong two-year contract. They can add a fourth/fifth outfielder Jose Siri Trading in cheap year or looking for complementary types of gloves first in the trade market. Tyrone Taylor (metropolis), Jacob Young (national), Blake Perkins (Brewer) and Dane Myers (The Marlins) are some speculative gloves first possibility, and if the O’s route goes this route, they don’t need a lot of potential customer returns.
