Baltimore Orioles: Mark Trumbo’s new deal is a win for the Orioles

Finding a way to re-sign Mark Trumbo at a good price is a solid deal for the Baltimore Orioles.

For three years and $37.5 million, Mark Trumbo will be a member of the Baltimore Orioles for the next three years. One year after finding a way to re-sign Chris Davis in January, Dan Duquette was once again able to keep the league’s home run leader in the fold. This time, however, the Orioles came out on top in contract negotiations.

Power is not cheap in baseball these days, but by waiting out the market, the Orioles were able to get Trumbo for a relatively low price. For a little more than $12 million a year, Trumbo should continue providing at least 30 home runs a year. That he will be making a more permanent move to DH matters very little, and is probably for the best.

There was plenty to love about Trumbo’s first season with the Orioles. He hit 47 home runs and went deep in the Wild Card Game. More importantly, he fit well into the team’s clubhouse and culture almost immediately. That cannot be underestimated for a team that has cycled through role players every year under Duquette. On the downside, Trumbo did strike out 170 times, and slashed just .214/.284/.470 in the second half of the season. His season had a few significant ups and downs, but Trumbo did manage to bat .270/.330/.554 in September when it mattered most.

Most importantly, the Orioles showed restraint in their negotiations with Trumbo, something that cannot be said of their work with Davis last year. They presented Trumbo with a four-year offer for $50-55 million at the Winter Meetings, backed away from it, talked tough about draft picks and other options, and then were able to sign Trumbo below market value. The front office had money to spend this winter, but few realistic options to upgrade the team stood out. Yoenis Cespedes would have been lovely, but he clearly wanted to remain with the New York Mets.

More from Orioles News

• Baltimore Orioles Sign RP Mychal Givens
• Gunnar Henderson: Destroyer of Four-Seam Fastballs
• Which Current Baltimore Orioles Pitchers Have the Best Curveballs?
• Orioles News: Should the O’s Pursue Eovaldi? + More MLB News
• Should the Baltimore Orioles Consider Signing Nathan Eovaldi?

Baltimore’s offense is constructed and centered around an ability to hit home runs. Not much else matters, no matter how much fans yell at the TV or tweet about patience, contact, and walks. Trumbo hits home runs very well, and single-handedly won the Orioles more than a few games last year with his blasts. Assuming the money had to be spent somewhere, Trumbo is a fairly safe bet to hit 30 home runs a year for the next three years.

There were not many realistic alternatives to re-signing Trumbo. Chris Carter was viewed as a potential option, but does not offer the ability to play outfield. Trumbo will continue playing right field next year, possibly when Seth Smith sits against left-handed pitching. The 31-year old is also a lock to hit better than .173/.223/.385 against lefties next year given his career .251/.298/.489 line against them.

Mark Trumbo is far from a perfect player, but there are no perfect players available for the Orioles asking price. His 47-homer season was one of the worst 40-homer seasons in the history of baseball when judged by the advanced metrics. He does not walk and plays mediocre-to-nausea-inducing defense. But for $12 million and change a year, he is a steal. The contract is also an easy one for the Orioles to move if things go bad between 2018 and 2019 after the roster begins crumbling. A slugging DH who is capable of hitting 40 home runs for a bargain-basement price will easily fetch a top-five prospect from a contender in need of power.

Next: Mark Trumbo agrees to three-year, $37 Million deal

Kudos to Dan Duquette and the front office for playing the waiting game to perfection with Mark Trumbo. In the end, all sides got what they wanted. Trumbo is a good fit in the middle of the lineup and a clubhouse favorite. The Orioles keep the power bat they needed, with a few million left in the bank account to add a reliever, another defensive sub in the outfield, or an eventual trade piece at the deadline. Trumbo gets to stay in a park and division that suits his swing, and gives his career some stability after bouncing around the past few years. This deal is a win-win for both sides in more ways than one.