Baltimore Orioles Should Pick Up Newly Released Carlos Gonzalez

PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Carlos Gonzalez #27 of the Seattle Mariners follows though on a swing against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on March 10, 2020 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Carlos Gonzalez #27 of the Seattle Mariners follows though on a swing against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on March 10, 2020 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

The Baltimore Orioles have some room to move in their minor league system, and there’s an interesting player who has become available.

After the Seattle Mariners released several minor league teams, the Baltimore Orioles should take the opportunity to pick up the experience and inexpensive Carlos Gonzalez.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Mariners released the veteran outfielder who was struggling to find a spot on the team. Gonzalez is 34 years old and still has plenty of life in his legs and bat.

The corner outfielder would be a great fit for the Orioles, who will be without Trey Mancini for the 2020 season. Gonzalez is a corner outfielder who knows how to play in a hitter-friendly park.

He spent the majority of his career with the Colorado Rockies, where he hit a slash of .290/.349/.516 in his decade in Denver. In 2019, he signed with the Cleveland Indians, but he didn’t get much time there. With their full outfield, they released him in May 2019 and the Cubs picked him up. The Cubs, too, had a full outfield, so CarGo didn’t get much time there either. The Mariners picked him up in February for $100,000.

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With so few veterans on the Orioles, having someone like Gonzalez on the team would be helpful. Gonzalez is a three-time All-Star who has two Silver Slugger Awards and three Gold Glove Awards.

He has a batting title (from 2010), and finished in third in the MVP vote that year.

He is also known for being an outstanding teammate. The fans in Colorado absolutely adored him for his consistency, clutch hitting, and solid glove.

He may not be the guy who plays everyday, but he could certainly be useful. While the O’s already have several left-handed batters like Chris Davis, Rio Ruiz, and Dwight Smith Jr., adding a veteran lefty never hurts.

It might not be a flashy move to sign a 34-year-old outfielder who struggled in 2019 to make an impact, but Gonzalez could be useful for the Orioles. He’s affordable, consistent, and could readily fill the veteran hole left by Trey Mancini. What have the Orioles got to lose?

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