MLB Free Agency: Best Fits for Matt Wieters

Baltimore Orioles

Wieters staying home with the Baltimore Orioles is definitely an option in this off-season. Without Wieters, Baltimore’s listed starting catcher is Caleb Joseph. Joseph hasn’t really put up the greatest numbers either. In 132 at-bats last season Joseph batted .174 without a single home run or run batted in. However, we will let this slide because Joseph suffered perhaps the most feared injury of an adult man.

Regardless of that, without Wieters the Baltimore Orioles don’t have much production behind the plate. Not to mention that the free agent market for catchers is exceedingly thin this off-season. The only starting caliber catchers available in MLB free agency this year are Wieters, Wilson Ramos, Kurt Suzuki, and maybe Nick Hundley. The only one of these catchers more valuable than Wieters is Ramos, so unless the Orioles manage to bring in Wilson Ramos, Wieters should be a high priority.

Wieters should be even more of a priority considering that Baltimore potentially may lose a surplus of talent. Mark Trumbo, Pedro Alvarez, Steve Pearce, and Wieters are all free agents. Losing all of these bats would considerable hurt their offensive numbers as they live and breathe the home run. Retaining Wieters could be a step in the right direction for Baltimore, instead of taking a chance with an injured Ramo,s the Orioles may be wise to stick to what they know.

Heck, they may even be able to convince their other free agents to remain in Baltimore if they can retain the veteran captain Matt Wieters.