Checking in on two former Orioles and their seasons so far

Some brows were raised when the Baltimore Orioles said farewell to Shawn Armstrong and Maikel Franco. Fast-forwarding to now, how are they, and could the Orioles use them?

The farewell parties for both Shawn Armstrong and Maikel Franco couldn’t have been more different. Maikel was released after clearing waivers last August, and Shawn got dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash. If you can remember, both former Orioles were in high regard at the beginning of the 2021 season, only to fall out of grace during the summer.

These former Orioles found themselves looking for a new way to pay the rent come the end of the 2021 season, as Mike Elias and co were planning the future and hopeful “rebuild” come 2022. However, these former Orioles are professional baseballers and have found new clubs, leading us to find out how they are fairing so far in 2022.

Shawn Armstrong

Miami Marlins

0-0, 10.80 ERA, 6.2 IP

At the time of Armstrong’s trade, he was touting a 0-0 record, 8.55 ERA, and 20 innings under his belt. It was clearly not All-Star caliber numbers, but it still raised questions about why he was the one to go? The Orioles bullpen was atrocious last season, and anyone at any time could have seen their final days at Camden Yards.

Checking in on two former Orioles and their seasons so far

As you can see, Armstrong’s spread from last season to now isn’t far off, but the Orioles bullpen and pitching staff undoubtedly are. Shawn Armstrong was a nice enough player, so you never would wish him well; however, I doubt you will find many an Orioles fan who would want him back now.

Maikel Franco

Washington Nationals

.274 BA, 2 HR, 12 RBI

Franco might not have even needed to sell the old house in order to play at his new gigs. His time with the Orioles always felt a bit unnecessary and unwanted. He did put up 11 homers and drove in 47 RBIs, but if it wasn’t the long-ball, it usually wasn’t a very productive at-bat.

So far in 2022 and for the Nationals, Franco has done well for himself, even having an above .300 OBP. Third base has already seen players come and go, but with Tyler Nevin shining brightly and Ramon Urias coming into his own, there is and would never be room for Maikel Franco.

As you could probably imagine, the present-day Baltimore Orioles don’t need either of these former ballplayers. Moving on from both Franco and Armstrong opened up the doors for others to come in, and the future is bright. Best of luck and all that!