Baltimore has shelled out nearly $208 million this winter to re-sign free agents Matt Wieters, Darren O’Day, and Chris Davis. But zero dollars have been committed to the starting rotation -- a rotation that registered a combined 4.53 ERA in 2015 and lost Wei-Yin Chen to the Marlins last week.
So what’s the move here? Yovani Gallardo?
FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has the latest ...The O’s remain in contact with free-agent righty Yovani Gallardo, but signing him would cost them their top pick, No. 14 overall. And now they won’t be getting a pick back for Davis, to whom they made a qualifying offer.
The Orioles could have landed eight of the top 100 selections if free agents Davis, Chen and catcher Matt Wieters all had signed with other clubs, but that number will reduce to five if they sign Gallardo.
Losing out on all those draft picks is a big deal for an Orioles club that can’t spend money like some of the other deep-pocketed organizations in the American League East.
Gallardo: a desperation play for the O’s, or a must-add? He is easily the best free agent starter left on the board, having registered a 3.42 ERA in 33 starts last season for the Rangers.
