The Orioles and agent Scott Boras discussed impending free agents Matt Wieters and Pedro Alvarez in a meeting last week, but no progress was made toward extensions for either, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. As a result, Wieters and Alvarez look likely to depart Baltimore at season’s end. Wieters, the Orioles’ top catcher since 2009, accepted a qualifying offer from the club for $15.7MM a year ago, but they probably won’t tender him for $16.7MM during the upcoming offseason. The 30-year-old is in the midst of one of his worst offensive seasons, having batted .241/.300/.401 in 438 plate appearances. Alvarez, a former Pirate, took a $5.75MM deal with the O’s last March and has since slashed .248/.319/.506 with 22 homers in 367 PAs. Those are right in line with the numbers the designated hitter/corner infielder regularly produced in Pittsburgh.
More from Cafardo:
- Right fielder/DH Jose Bautista’s underwhelming showing this year could lead him to accept a qualifying offer from the Blue Jays, writes Cafardo. After terrorizing opposing pitchers from 2010-15, Bautista has hit a disappointing .233/.360/.449 with 20 homers in 484 PAs. The soon-to-be 36-year-old has also been on the disabled list multiple times. In taking a QO from the Jays, he’d have a chance to rebuild his value and make a stronger case for a high-paying deal after the 2017 season, Cafardo argues. However, that would represent a far fall for a player who reportedly wanted a long-term pact worth $30MM-plus per year last offseason.
- The Phillies and Jeremy Hellickson have mutual interest in keeping the right-hander in Philadelphia, but he might first explore the open market before making a commitment, per Cafardo. With so few capable starters primed to hit free agency in the coming months, it won’t be surprising if Hellickson does listen to other teams’ offers. Hellickson, who will turn 30 in April, has rebounded from three straight subpar seasons to post a 3.78 ERA, 7.27 K/9, 2.18 BB/9 and 14.4 percent infield pop-up rate across 185 2/3 innings this season.
- Outfielder Josh Reddick’s less-than-stellar output with the Dodgers could cost him a significant amount of money in free agency, Cafardo contends. Reddick, whom LA acquired from Oakland before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, has batted .241/.291/.298 with one home run in 152 PAs as a Dodger. The 29-year-old was far better as a member of the Athletics, with whom he hit .257/.321/.440 and combined for 14.2 fWAR in 2,364 PAs from 2012-16. As of June, Reddick wanted in the neighborhood of $15MM per annum on a four-plus-year deal, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The A’s were offering well below that – in the three-year, $30MM range – which undoubtedly helped lead to the end of Reddick’s tenure with them.
If cafardo thinks Bautista is going to accept a qualifying offer, he’s downright out of his mind. Bautista is having a down year, but this “down year” is still well above average. But I shouldn’t be surprised cafardo stops looking at the stats immediately after average, the least important of the three. There’s two hitters who are clearly better than him this offseason, and a couple more who have big question marks, so some team is going to give him at least 30 million over 2 years
Agreed. Even if he wasn’t sure if he could get (or wouldn’t want to tie himself down with) a 2 year, $35-40m deal, there would undoubtably be multiple teams willing to offer him a one year deal worth in the ballpark of the qualifying offer (even at the cost of a draft pick) in the reasonable hope that he end up vastly outperforming his contract and delivering triple value on it.
No way he takes a QO. Even if he did and had a fantastic season next year, that’s another year on ole JB. Nobody in the right mind would pay 30m for a 37yo DH by that point
Nobody should be paying him $30 million at age 36, no matter how good his numbers are. Doubly so when you factor in his rapidly declining defence.
The O’s need to try to get Reddick in free agency. He would be the solid right fielder and left handed hitter they have been looking for since Markakis left.
Agreed! Only for the right price and years. Like a one year, $10MM make good year like Trumbo, Cruz, and others they have done it with. Or similar to Ian Desmond in Texas.
I was hoping the angels would make a run at Reddick, they need a left fielder and a lefty bat in the line up, but I prefer them to go after Cespedes if he does opt out.
Reddick gets more than 10m, even if he only signs a 1y deal. He’s one of the finer glove/arm combos around in RF and the potential to hit for power makes him a solid gamble. Thinking he can get 25-30m over 2 seasons, maybe 3 as a to be 30YO with the down season.
Think he’s a better gamble than some team throwing 20m at Bautista at 3y for 60m total with him being 37YO and not nearly as good in the field.
If you don’t isolate his numbers from Oakland, his batting line with the Dodgers is virtually same as his career (with the exception of power). I find it interesting that his really quite middling production is so highly valued.
The O’s need a starter!
O ‘s will not sign any pitcher end of story. You have 6 SP they might trade one! They might sign Matt Wieters the rest will walk ! Christian Walker will be in RF , ( DH and 1st base will be Chris Davis and Trey Mancini ) !Your OF will be Jones , Walker ,,Kim , Rickard might be 5th one Stubbs .
If JB doesn’t accept QO, then a draft pick is attached – plus 30 mill a year, just don’t see it happening for JB.
Obviously he ain’t getting $30 million/year, draft pick compensation or not.
Considering the Phillies saved Hellicksons career, he might wanna give a big discount. If I’m the Phils, I’m not giving him anything significant
Je should take the QO play first base and if he stays healthy and isn’t a complete disaster head for FA next season. With HR up and the draft pick attachment what he wants to get and will get aren’t even in the same ballpark.