Former Orioles pitcher hits free agent market in search of fresh start

Back in mid-September, the Orioles designated left hander Cole Irvin for assignment for the second time in 2024. Irvin had struggled for most of the year, pitching to a 4.86 ERA in 29 appearances. It was arguably his worst season since 2019, back when he was still with the Phillies.

Shortly after being DFA'd, Irvin was scooped up by the Twins and immediately took to a low-leverage spot in their bullpen. That experiment didn't last long as the lefty blew up in a game against the Red Sox, and overall posted a 12.27 ERA in four outings with Minnesota.

The Twins summarily designated him for assignment, the third time he'd gone through the process this year. This time, thanks to a miserable couple weeks, Irvin went unclaimed and passed through into Minnesota's minor league system. Irvin never pitched for Minnesota's Triple-A squad after being outrighted there, and his season ended rather unceremoniously.

Former Orioles' starter Cole Irvin elects free agency

Now that some teams are officially in the offseason, many players are out of a contract. Irvin was still technically arbitration eligible, as he's been in the league for six seasons but has just over 3 years of official service time.

Rather than going through the arbitration process, however, the Twins chose to release him. According to MLB Trade Rumors, Irvin was one of 34 players to reach free agency earlier this week.

Prior to the 2023 season, Irvin and the Orioles came to an agreement on a 1-year, $2 million deal to avoid arbitration in his first eligible season. If he'd remained with an organization through the offseason, he'd be due for a slight raise, likely somewhere between $3-$5 million depending on a few factors.

Now that he's a free agent, it's unlikely he'll get that kind of money. If Irvin is lucky, he'll be able to convince a team that he's worth a few million bucks, and then go out and prove it. More likely, Irvin will have to settle for a minor league contract somewhere and earn his place in on a major league roster somewhere.

While Irvin may not be the best pitcher in a major league bullpen, all signs point toward him being a good teammate and person. Just this past week, Irvin was down in North Carolina helping out victims who are suffering from the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

Parts of western North Carolina, including the Asheville area, have been devastated by the resulting flooding. Irvin put up a post on X letting people know how they can help him contribute to the relief efforts. While Irvin's efforts in North Carolina may not earn him an MLB contract, his actions and efforts are commendable.