Baltimore Orioles: Are the Orioles still interested in Michael Bourn?

The Baltimore Orioles are interested in tightening their outfield defense. Would free agent Michael Bourn fit into the Orioles plans?

Despite adding Seth Smith into the fold, the Baltimore Orioles are interested in tightening the defense in the outfield. That’s why they’re currently turning to the free agent market for help.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Orioles are looking at free agent Michael Bourn, who once had a short stint with the O’s.

The Orioles acquired Bourn in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 31, 2016. During his tenure with the Orioles, Bourn hit .283/.358/.435 with 13 hits and eight RBI in 24 games.

Even though Bourn entering his 34-year-old season, the Orioles are more interested in Bourn’s defense; Bourn was a two-time Gold Glove Award winner in 2009 and 2010, and he was a two-time All-Star in 2010 and 2012.

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Bourn has been on six different teams during his 11-year career; along with the DIamondbacks and Orioles, Bourn has been on the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.

The Orioles currently have depth at the outfield position, especially with the acquisition of Smith. But the team is looking to bolster their roster especially since Smith is trending downward defensively. Bourn might have a couple more productive seasons in him, and he would be an upgrade defensively to Smith.

Bourn would also be a nice compliment fellow left-handed hitter Hyun Soo Kim and both could provide good corner defense.

Still, it’s hard to gauge just how interested the O’s are in Bourn. Bourn sounds more like a last resort signing if the O’s aren’t able to acquire anyone else in the free agent market. Currently the Orioles seem to be trending away from Mark Trumbo, and have on the record said that they would rather take the draft pick at this point.

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The Orioles haven’t been as active as one would like during the offseason, but they’re slowly putting the pieces together for the 2017 season. And with the Orioles going for cheaper alternatives to Matt Wieters, and Trumbo, who knows if Bourn will enter the picture going into the 2017 campaign.