The 2024 season for the Baltimore Orioles showcased some flaws that need to be addressed this offseason, and the bullpen may be at the top of that list.
With the departures of fan favorites Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb, Orioles GM Mike Elias has some holes to fill. Although, getting a certain “Mountain” back will help quite a bit.
In this piece, we will dive into five free agent relief pitchers that Elias and Co. could pursue this offseason to fill those voids.
CARLOS ESTÉVEZ – RHP
The 31-year-old right-hander Carlos Estévez was solid with the Angels in Los Angeles last season before being shipped to the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline.
He finished the 2024 season with a 2.57 earned run average, his second straight season with an ERA under three.
Estévez spent the majority of his career in Colorado with Rockies organization, and that has slighted how well he can actually pitch. This is another high strikeout guy who could cover the closing role while Félix Bautista is getting back to full health.
In the last two seasons, Estévez has a combined 170 ERA+. He’s a guy who has proven formidable in the last innings of a game with a lead.
KIRBY YATES – RHP
Kirby Yates is an interesting one and is someone who could have been a good trade deadline pick-up last season.
Even at 37 years old, 2024 saw Yates return to his All-Star form while proving there is plenty left in the tank.
Yates finished 2024 with a 1.17 ERA, good for a 3.3 bWAR in 33 appearances. For reference, the only Orioles pitcher to surpass that mark in 2024 was Corbin Burnes at 3.4.
Yates’ lack of traffic on the basepaths could fit well into a bullpen that struggled mightily last year in stretches. Once again, he’s another guy who could help sure up the back-end roles, as he notched 33 saves in Texas last season.
ANDREW KITTREDGE – RHP
Andrew Kittredge is a name Oriole fans should know from his time in Tampa Bay with the Rays.
The 34 year-old is coming off his best season since 2021, ending this past year with a 2.80 ERA.
Last year saw a full season of work for Kittredge once again, totaling 70.2 innings pitched. That sounds like a good replacement for someone like Webb, who manager Brandon Hyde loved going to multiple days in a row as a trustworthy middle reliever.
Kittredge had a slight home run bug last season with the Cardinals. However, playing in Camden Yards immediately helps with that. Balancing out those home runs for a guy who forces ground balls 44.5% of the time is certainly a risk worth taking.
KYLE FINNEGAN – RHP
Now, we enter the expensive part of the list. Why the Nationals let Kyle Finnegan touch free agency is beyond us, but this is a guy Elias should have been on the phone with before he left the Nats’ campus.
Finnegan pitched to a 3.68 ERA in 65 games and was named to his first All-Star game last season and has been the face of consistency since his debut in 2020.
Outside of that shortened season, which was on pace to match his 2021-2024 seasons, Finnegan has logged at least 65 appearances every year and has yet to see an ERA above 3.76.
Finnegan could add a ton of stability to the Orioles’ bullpen while also doing it with quality high-leverage innings that could be locked up for a couple of years at 33 years old.
TANNER SCOTT – LHP
Hello, old friend. Without a shadow of a doubt, former Oriole Tanner Scott is the headliner of this reliever free agent class.
Scott was flat-out dominant last season, logging a 4.0 bWAR on his way to a 1.17 ERA with the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres. He’s more of an electric lefty than ever before, dominating hitters with his fastball-slider combination.
Now that he could have a competent defense and bigger park in Baltimore, a reunion would be one of the best moves you can make this offseason if you’re the O’s front office.
Scott, still just 30 years old, would be worth the price of admission. Since 2023, he has accumulated a 228 ERA+ in 146 games. For reference, Bautista’s 2023 campaign saw a 277 ERA+, so a sample size twice as large for Scott being nearly just as good, and the prospect of that being paired with Bautista in the back-end, would be quite scary.
Who do you think the O’s should target in the reliever market this offseason? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like Justin’s content? Follow him on X – @orioles4life96
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a reply to enthusiastsweetlyd2ec706ef3 Cancel reply