Baltimore Orioles Sign Former All-Star to Minor League Deal

More depth has been added to the Baltimore Orioles' organization following their signing of a former All-Star.

May 16, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Garrett Cooper (28) hits an RBI double against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning at Fenway Park / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

There is a lot of conversation around the Baltimore Orioles and their seemingly obvious need to add starting pitching ahead of the deadline because of the three season-ending injuries that have occurred.

It's going to sound like a broken record until July 30 comes and goes, but general manager Mike Elias has never been one to ship out multiple top prospects, especially when running a cash-strapped franchise like the Orioles.

So how much he's willing to send out for short-term options is unclear at the moment.

The other thing about Elias is he's constantly searching for ways to improve the overall profile of this organization, so while everyone is focused on what they might do regarding the pitching situation, it was reported by Craig Mish of SportsGrid that they have signed first baseman Garrett Cooper to a minor league deal.

The 2022 All-Star has had an interesting year since putting together a solid first half during last season that turned him into a trade target of the San Diego Padres.

Following the year, he became a free agent and didn't see a robust market for his services.

Because of that, the decided to sign a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs with the thought he might be able to play his way into the Major League mix.

That happened for him, and he got 12 games with the Cubs where he performed objectively well by going 10-for-37 with a homer and six RBI. But, Cooper was DFA'd after another veteran player returned from the injured list and he was shipped to the Boston Red Sox.

He got a bit more run there, playing 24 games, but he didn't have the same output as he slashed .171/.227/.229 before getting designated for assignment and ultimately released.

How Baltimore plans to use him, if at all, will be seen.