The Orioles could still sign Mark Trumbo, maybe

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The Orioles haven’t signed Mark Trumbo yet, but they might end up being the ones to get him back the same way they did Chris Davis a year ago: because no one else is going hard for their dingerific slugger. As Roch Kubatko writes, yes, they have pulled their offer for Trumbo, but they did that for Davis a year ago and ended up re-signing him, and haven’t seriously explored a replacement that would allow them to truly move on from Trumbo, either. Kubatko sees Chris Carter, for example, as the kind of option the O’s would pursue in spring training should they not have found another solution by then. That doesn’t sound like someone they’re falling over to sign in order to move on from Trumbo’s league-leading homer total.

And there is no real reason for the Orioles to rush, either, given the last non-O’s Trumbo news came on Dec. 20 and involved something of a non-answer from the Rockies. When asked if they were keeping track of Edwin Encarnacion and Trumbo, Rockies’ GM Jeff Bridich said it "would be stupid of us not to keep track." Are they engaged with Trumbo? Are they just waiting to see what happens and if other offers come in? Will they pick things up now that Christmas is over, wait until after New Year’s, or do nothing at all? It’s hard to tell given we’re in that weird holiday vortex where a whole lot of nothing is expected, so like the Rockies, we’ll just have to keep track of it all.

So, the Orioles pulled their offer to Trumbo, but that’s because Trumbo felt he could do better and was going to look elsewhere. If he can’t do better elsewhere, it’s likely he’ll give Baltimore a call and see if they’re still feeling a return. That could happen this week, next week, a month from now: Davis didn’t sign his seven-year, $161 million deal until Jan. 21 of 2016, but notice how the wait didn’t exactly damage his income. Trumbo could still basically get what he wants, the O’s could still basically get what they want, and everyone will be happy. Well, not AL East pitchers, but still.

• It is a little strange, though, that the O’s have fixated on Trumbo when we’re in a market where Edwin Encarnacion signed for just $60 million over three years.


• Last thing on Baltimore for the morning: There shouldn’t be a starting rotation controversy for them even with six starters, as it’s pretty clear who should be squeezed out.


• Encarnacion and the Indians are an absolutely perfect fit, writes Grant Brisbee.


• Cleveland signing Encarnacion means that their summer dominance has now translated to the winter, too.



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