Baltimore Orioles Now Know Reasonable Contract of Their Star Pitching Target
The Baltimore Orioles had a busy day ahead of the arbitration deadline, as they had multiple players they had to agree to terms with before having to exchange numbers.
Mike Elias was able to do a great job handling so many situations to give them a better idea of what they'll be paying in 2024.
With the offseason continuing, the Orioles still have some roster needs they would like to address, most notably in their starting rotation.
They have long been linked as one of the suitors for Chicago White Sox ace, Dylan Cease, but have not landed the talented right-hander yet.
With time still remaining to make a trade, the contract that Cease agreed to for the upcoming season could make Baltimore much more interested in meeting some of the requirements the White Sox are asking in return.
Robert Murray of FanSided reported he will get paid $12 million, roughly $800,000 less than he was projected by MLB Trade Rumors.
For a pitcher who was AL Cy Young runner-up in 2022, this is a steal.
Cease didn't have the same type of season in 2023 than he did when he finished second in voting. He posted a 4.58 ERA last year, compared to a 2.20 figure in 2022, but the righty still struck out over 200 batters in his third-straight season and threw 177 innings over 33 starts.
He's an elite arm who has recorded a WAR figure of 12.6 the past three years.
For a team like the Orioles who could really use a true ace, getting Cease for the price of $8 million would fit perfectly with their financial situation.
To get something done, it will likely come down to how willing they are to give up some of their elite prospects and if Chicago starts asking for a much more reasonable package.
