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Baltimore Orioles: Three Recently Non-Tendered Pitching Targets

By Nick Stevens |
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 14: Taijuan Walker #99 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches in the first inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 14: Taijuan Walker #99 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches in the first inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
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BALTIMORE, MD – MAY 04: Manager Brandon Hyde #18 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 4, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – MAY 04: Manager Brandon Hyde #18 of the Baltimore Orioles looks on during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 4, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

The Baltimore Orioles need pitching help. Could any recently non-tendered options help?

Monday’s deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players has come and gone, leading to more than 50 new additions to the current free agent pool. The Baltimore Orioles didn’t surprise us with any new unsuspecting moves, but we finally saw an end to the Jonathan Villar saga and Dylan Bundy is still on the roster, for now.

The Orioles tendered contracts to five of their arbitration-eligible players, IF/OF Trey Mancini, RHP Mychal Givens, RHP Miguel Castro, IF Hanser Alberto, and Bundy. LHP Richard Bleier was signed to a new deal that will pay him $915,000 next season and Jonathan Villar was shipped to Miami for minor league LHP Easton Lucas, making the loss of Villar not a complete wash.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias had plenty to say about Villar and Monday as a whole, as published by Roch Kubatko over at MASNSports.com. Elias reiterated the fact that he continues to look for a middle infielder who plays strong defense, starting pitching (or any pitching) to shore up the rotation/add depth to the upper minors, and a fourth catcher. Hopefully, a defensive-minded catcher.

We have already highlighted a number of potential starting pitching options here at BirdsWatcher (you can find links to all of those stories here), but with a new crop of free agents hitting the market, let’s take a look at three more interesting starting and relief options we found.

As much as my heart wants Kevin Gausman to come back, I think it’s safe to say that he won’t be coming back to Baltimore and won’t be included in our list.

How about starting with the type of pitcher we will surely see make their way to Birdland, a veteran option coming off an injury and looking to showcase their health.

PHOENIX, AZ – AUGUST 26: Taijuan Walker #99 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a pitch in the first inning of the MLB game against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field on August 26, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – AUGUST 26: Taijuan Walker #99 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a pitch in the first inning of the MLB game against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field on August 26, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

A rebuilding club like the Baltimore Orioles seems like the best fit for Taijuan Walker.

Taijuan Walker hasn’t pitched a full season in the big leagues since 2017, but the former Seattle Mariner and Arizona Diamondback put up above-average numbers in each of his three full seasons in the majors and should find himself the healthiest he has been since his 2.5 fWAR season in ’17.

After making just three starts in 2018, Walker underwent Tommy John surgery that kept him out for the remainder of the season, along with nearly all of 2019, minus one inning of work to close out the year.

Walker is sure to be on an innings limit in 2020, but if he can regain his 2015-2017 form, Walker could provide valuable innings for the Baltimore Orioles and maybe even command a suitor at the trade deadline.

In his career, Walker is 31-31 with a 3.95 ERA, averages more than eight strikeouts/9 IP, saw his groundball rate rise and ERA drop each season from ’15-’17. His breakout 2017 season culminated a career-high 8.35 K/9 IP mark, a 49% groundball rate, and a 3.49 ERA across 157 innings.

There’s a lot of risk associated with signing Walker after numerous elbow injuries, but the potential upside is worth the risk.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 20: Jason Adam #48 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the sixth inning of their game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 20, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 20: Jason Adam #48 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the sixth inning of their game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 20, 2019 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

Jason Adam’s fastball is an intriguing option for the Baltimore Orioles.

Standing at 6’4″ and 225 pounds, RHP Jason Adam was non-tendered by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday and is coming off a successful 23 game stint in his second go-around in the major leagues after struggling in his rookie debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2018.

Adam went 3-0 with a 2.91 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with the Jays last season, striking out 18 and giving up just one home run in 21 innings of work.

He isn’t a groundball pitcher (a 28% mark in his MLB career), but he gets opponents out with his high-spin four-seam fastball (averages 94 mph with 2,580 RPM). Ranking in the 98th percentile in average spin rate, Adam’s fastball generated a .164 average, 30% whiff rate, and a .240 wOBA.

There’s big separation in his fastball and curveball velocities, with his curveball dropping in at 77 mph. Opponents hit .308 against the pitch last season, but it had an expected average against of .159, according to Baseball Savant.

Over his final seven innings of work last season, Adam gave up no runs on three hits while striking out seven and walking three. All seven outings were against American League East opponents.

He also brings with him two minor league options left.

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A healthy Miguel Diaz is a very cheap, very solid option for the Baltimore Orioles.

If veterans coming off elbow injuries isn’t your thing, what about knee injuries? Miguel Diaz, a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher who has spent the last three seasons with the San Diego Padres, underwent right knee surgery before the 2019 season and then left knee surgery later in the season after making just five appearances.

If you have ever watched Diaz pitch, you understand why he’s worth a pickup, as long as the Orioles trust he can return from two major knee surgeries. Diaz is a four-pitch pitcher (four-seamer, slider, curveball, changeup) who owns a career strikeout rate of 9.05 K/9 IP in the majors with a fastball that averages 95-96 mph.

He showed a lot of promise in limited action in the majors back in 2018. In 11 outings (18 IP), Diaz posted a 3.27 FIP, a 14.46 K/9 IP rate, allowing just two home runs. His walk rate was very high (14%), but his electric fastball and 36% overall whiff rate were impressive.

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I have accepted the fact that the Baltimore Orioles are going to go after pitchers such as Walker and Diaz to come in and compete for roster spots during spring training. At least many of the pitchers we have highlighted have a much higher upside than Dan Straily and Nate Karns, last year’s free agent options.

Having options available, like Diaz, also doesn’t hurt as the Baltimore-Norfolk shuttle is sure to be well used again in 2020.

The Orioles 40-man roster currently sits at 38 players, with plenty of deadweight still hanging around. With the Winter Meetings coming up next week and the Rule 5 draft closing out festivities in San Diego this winter, I fully expect a few moves to be made over the next few days.

Next. Jonathan Villar Is No Longer With The Baltimore Orioles. dark

Stay tuned to BirdsWatcher.com and @BirdsWatcherFS on Twitter for news and reactions all year long!

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