The Orioles have interest in bringing back Jason Hammel on a new contract, but probably only on an incentive-laden deal, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Indians have also shown interest in Hammel. However, ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that Hammel's asking price recently went up, which has caused the Indians to move on for the time being. That would also seem to throw a wrench into the Orioles' interest.
Hammel, 31, struggled through a flexor strain in his throwing elbow last season en route to a 4.97 ERA with 6.2 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and a 40.1 percent ground-ball rate in 139 1/3 innings. Hammel looked to have turned a corner in 2012 when he pitched to a 3.43 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and a 53.2 percent ground-ball rate in 118 innings for the O's. That flash of upside is likely the driving force behind most of the interest in him on this year's free agent market.
