Baltimore

Orioles

The deal, which also includes a $1 million buyout, is now official after Kimbrel passed his physical. The 35-year-old veteran stopper appears poised to take over as Baltimore’s primary closer next season with elite stopper Félix Bautista sidelined while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He struggled mightily in the postseason, but was rock-solid during the 2023 regular season for the Phillies, finishing with 23 saves to accompany a 3.26 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 94/28 K/BB ratio across 69 innings (71 appearances). He’ll likely be a top-20 closer in fantasy drafts next spring.

MLB.com’s Jake Rill points out that this will give Kimbrel the biggest salary of any player signed by the Orioles since Mark Elias took over as GM five years ago.

Boras was speaking at the MLB winter meetings on Wednesday and responded with “only once or twice a day” when asked about whether the Orioles have reached out about signing Henderson or Holliday to contract extensions. Henderson was the unanimous selection for the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year honors. He received a $750,000 bonus with that win, which is slightly more than his entire salary last season ($723,000). It’s safe to say a pay adjustment would be well warranted at this point. As for Holliday, he got an $8.19 million signing bonus when drafted first overall in 2022 and he lived up to the hype this past season, slashing .323/.442/.499 with 12 home runs and 24 stolen bases, across 125 minor-league games. He is reported to have a serious shot at making the team right out of spring training.

Tate sat out with a flexor strain initially and he suffered a stress reaction in his elbow while rehabbing. Despite that, the Orioles opted to tender him a contract last month, suggesting they see him as a part of the 2024 bullpen. He was very effective in 2022, finishing with a 3.05 ERA in 73 2/3 innings.

As long as it’s not the biggest move the Orioles make this winter, this rates as a reasonable addition. It’d make sense for Kimbrel to take the closer’s role, at least for the most part, allowing Yennier Cano to work in high leverage in the seventh and eighth innings.

Kimbrel would presumably be the favorite for saves over Yennier Cano if he signs with Baltimore. Felíx Bautista is expected to miss all of 2024 following Tommy John surgery.

Heyman also notes that the Orioles, Astros and Rangers are among the other teams that are interested in the flame-throwing hurler. Hicks compiled a 3.29 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and an 81/32 K/BB ratio over 65 2/3 innings between the Cardinals and Blue Jays during the 2023 campaign. He’s likely to wind up in a setup role in most of those landing spots, which would limit his overall appeal from a fantasy perspective.

Some have pretty much penciled in Holliday at shortstop for the Orioles, but it hardly seems like a lock, given the team’s alternatives. It’ll get easier to imagine if the club ends up moving one or two of Jordan Westburg, Jorge Mateo and Ramón Urías this winter. Holliday, who is celebrating his 20th birthday today, hit .323/.442/.499 at four minor league levels last season.

Jordan Westburg is one possibility to go to the White Sox in such a deal. The Braves and Dodgers are also known to have engaged the White Sox for Cease, and expectations are that Cease will be moved in the coming weeks.

Stephenson, who posted a sparkling 2.35 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 60/8 K/BB ratio across 38 1/3 innings (42 appearances) following an early-season trade to Tampa Bay from the Pirates, was extremely effective this past season as a high-leverage specialist with the division-rival Rays and would make a ton of sense for Baltimore as an insurance policy behind relief ace Yennier Cano with All-Star closer Félix Bautista set to miss the 2024 campaign following Tommy John surgery.