Is Former World Series MVP Worth Cost to Orioles in Free Agency?
In this story:
Jorge Soler could bring some punch to the order for the Baltimore Orioles. But can they meet his potential cost?
The New York Post may have the answer. The site recently consulted two baseball salary experts for predictions on what several hitters could get on the open market. The Post’s Jon Heyman also weighed in.
The consensus is that the 2021 World Series Most Valuable Player has a market, but it’s not for the kind of long-term deal that players like Shohei Ohtani and Cody Bellinger might get.
The experts, and Heyman, believe Soler will get either a two-year or three-year deal, with a range in total cost from $34 million to $42 million.
That $42 million price tag was for the three-year deal, giving the deal a $14 million average annual value.
The other two deals were for two years — one for $36 million and one for $34 million, which is a range of $17-18 million per year.
Soler was making $12 million per year with Miami when he opted out of his deal this offseason. So any of those projected deals would be a raise for the 31-year-old designated hitter/outfielder.
The Orioles have been connected to Soler this offseason because of his power numbers and what that could add to a lineup that already has plenty of young pop.
After earning the MVP award with Atlanta, he signed a three-year deal with the Miami Marlins. He belted 36 home runs, triggering his desire to explore free agency again.
Signing him comes with some risk for any team. He’s only played 100 or more games in a season just four times, including 2023.
But since he had an AL-leading 48 home runs in 2019, he has been more consistent at the plate.
The Orioles have a complicated outfield situation as all three of their starters are arbitration eligible and all were tendered at Friday’s deadline.
Anthony Santander was their primary right fielder and batted .257 with 28 home runs and 95 RBI. He’s entering his final arbitration season.
Austin Hays played left field and batted .275 with 16 home runs and 67 RBI. Center fielder Cedric Mullins batted .233 with 15 home runs and 74 RBI but has a 30-home run season in his 2021 All-Star season.
The Orioles could still try and move any of that trio and may need to in order to make room for two of the best outfield prospects in baseball — Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad.
Even if the Orioles keep all of these outfielders, there is room for Soler, who played most of last season at designated hitter. As a full-time DH, he would give the Orioles additional power in their everyday lineup.
