Veteran left-handed reliever Josh Edgin has opted out of his minor league contract with the Orioles, tweets David Hall of the Virginian Pilot. Edgin, like outfielders Michael Saunders (link) and Alex Presley (link) before him, triggered a May 15 opt-out date is his contract.
If Edgin’s clause is the same as that of Presley, Baltimore will have 48 hours to add him to the roster or release him to pursue other opportunities. The organization already announced that Saunders has been released, whereas there’s yet to be a formal announcement regarding either Edgin or Presley.
The 31-year-old Edgin inked a minor league pact with Baltimore this offseason after previously spending the entirety of his pro career in the Mets organization. Edgin missed the 2015 season and much of the 2016 campaign due to Tommy John surgery but was otherwise a fairly regular fixture in the Mets’ bullpen dating back to his MLB debut in 2012. The lefty has a career 3.49 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9 and a 45.1 percent ground-ball rate in 129 innings at the big league level.
Last season, Edgin tossed a career-high 37 innings for the Mets and posted a 3.65 ERA that’s right in line with his career mark, though his strikeout and walk rates weren’t as sharp as they were prior to his surgery. In those 37 frames, he averaged just 6.6 K/9 against an elevated 4.4 BB/9 with an average fastball velocity of 91.3 mph, which checks in more than a full mile per hour south of his peak pre-surgery levels. Those were likely some of the factors the Mets took into consideration when ultimately deciding to non-tender Edgin in the offseason.
This year with the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk, he’s pitched 18 2/3 innings with an outstanding 25-to-5 K/BB ratio (with two of those free passes being issued intentionally) and an excellent 59.6 percent ground-ball rate. Given that start and his track record, Edgin should generate interest elsewhere even if he doesn’t ultimately end up in the Baltimore bullpen.
I couldn’t believe that it could possibly be correct that 37 innings was his career high, he was such a fixture in Met bullpens for a while, but I guess it was all 1/3 of an inning at a time.
Sure seems like he belongs in a major league pen at this point.
He’s left handed. He’ll get lots of opportunities and lots of frequent flier miles.
Yeah, he did a lot of 1 out appearances. I’m sick of left handed relievers being treated as specialists.
It’s a strategy that helps teams win games.
I’m sure he’ll find a bullpen some where
Come to Cleveland. We need bullpen help badly.
heck we could use your not here in Anaheim, you fit right in with a gas can we have out here, and I guess you might be better than some of these guys I take a flyer on him.
You do know you get nearly 5 mins to review and edit your post, correct?
Not on the mobile app!
Exactly! Tribe FO have to be holding a prayer vigil that Edgin isn’t elevated to the BAL roster. I don’t think Edgin can bring enough water to put out the Tribe’s bullpen dumpster fire, but he can help to bring it under control.
Saunders appears to have nothing left (.544 OPS in 103 pa.). Past time for some serious alterations… or just retire.
Should everyone who goes through a .544 OPS in 103 PAs retire, or just Saunders?
Because if it’s everyone, then half the HOF should’ve retired before age 30.
The difference is, Saunders hasnt been good in almost 2 years and outside of that good half, hes never been that good.
Stupid to let him go if he can pitch more than one inning at a time every once in a while.
Even the minor leaguers are jumping from this sinking ship.
I don’t get it. The Orioles have terrible pitching…you’d think this is where a guy on a minor league deal has the best chance to make the majors.
And he just triggered his opt out clause so he’ll probably get added. We have to clear a 40 man spot first. Maybe araujo or wright.
The Blue Jays could use a second lefty in their pen, and he’d be a cheap pickup if Baltimore decides to let him walk.
Orioles should have Edgin in their bullpen. He was a great off-season pickup.
And sometime in July, they can trade him for a spec.
Why Wright and the rule 5 guy are still in the O’s bullpen is beyond me.
content://media/external/file/4654
If the Orioles let him go, it is more proof, if more proof is necessary, that the oriole front office is run by fools. Mike Wright has no business on a major-league team, and Josh Edgin does.
Agreed
At this point mike wright might lose us a few more games and move us up a couple spots.
Edgin should have been on the opening day roster after his performance in spring training coupled with his major league history. The O’s instead keep several Rule 5 players, one of whom is back with the Yankees, and Wright/ Tillman. How did that work out. Sounds like a need to change management.