Baltimore Orioles: Mark Trumbo Replacement Options in Free Agency
Do the Baltimore Orioles need to find a Mark Trumbo replacement? If so, they can turn to a variety of different men available in free agency.
The Baltimore Orioles may need to start looking for a Mark Trumbo replacement in free agency. They have yet to reach a deal with the reigning American League home run champion thus leaving them with a big hole. Losing his 47 home runs is significant, but not impossible to restore with another move. Perhaps it’s not even power they should seek in finding a professional bat to fill his roster spot.
The hope seems to be that the Orioles will enter 2017 with a similar team as they did in 2016. Chris Davis will be the big power hitter in the middle of the lineup. He’ll see time at first base, right field, and occasionally as the DH. Rookie Trey Mancini is another guy they will use regularly at DH. Even with Manny Machado and Adam Jones also present, this may not be enough. One more solid hitter is probably required.
One plan could be to platoon Mancini with a veteran bat. This idea is a pretty good one as it’s difficult to know what we can expect from him after the small sample size in 2016. Thankfully, this free agent class offers plenty of choices for the Orioles in finding their Trumbo replacement.
Several free agents remain ready to ink a deal with Baltimore. Excluding Jose Bautista, as the Orioles have made their opinion of him clear already, these are a few of the men we could see the Orioles sign should they move on from Trumbo.
Slugger Pedro Alvarez spent last season with the Orioles after he was non-tendered by the Pittsburgh Pirates following 2015 season. Eager to please, Alvarez was on a mission to make sure the Pirates knew they had made a mistake.
In 2016, Alvarez knocked 22 home runs in just 376 plate appearances. He also contributed a .249 batting average. It’s certainly nothing to gloat about. However, it was a pleasant surprise. Other than his 95-game rookie season, this was a career high for Alvarez.
Alvarez settled for a one-year $5.75 million deal last offseason with the Orioles knowing that his role would be limited. Likely, this is the same job description he’d have with them in 2017 should the two dies decide to reunite.
In many ways, Chris Carter is the right-handed version of Pedro Alvarez. He mashes, he bashes, and he even has a home run title on his resume. Otherwise, he’s rather limited. This still doesn’t mean the Orioles should avoid him completely. After all, they’d be replacing the American League Home run champion with the National League one.
Also like Alvarez, he was non-tendered after 2015. Carter found a new home with the Milwaukee Brewers for 2016 where he made the most of it. Carter hit a league leading 41 home runs for Milwaukee last season, but struck out 206 times and contributed just a .222 batting average.
If the Orioles were to sign Carter, they wouldn’t get the most out of him due to his limitations on defense. Ideally, they should seek someone who can play the outfield a little more regularly. Carter has been almost entirely regulated to first base and DH in the last few seasons. As a right-handed hitter, he’s also not a good fit to platoon with Mancini.
Before the Orioles traded for Seth Smith, Brandon Moss looked like an almost ideal Trumbo replacement. He, too, is pretty much limited to hitting home runs. The big difference is that Moss hits left-handed while Trumbo is a big, powerful righty.
Moss would fit in well with the Orioles in a platoon with Mancini. Although he hit only .223 versus righties last season, he did finish the year with 25 home runs in 343 plate appearances. If it’s power that the Orioles want, Moss is someone to consider.
The longer Moss sits in free agency the cheaper his contract will likely become. The Orioles are in a favorable spot right now with one of the best vacancies in baseball. Power hitters like Moss would be wise to take this job as it includes lots of playing time and a chance to win.
At this stage of his career, Mike Napoli far less versatile than Trumbo in the field as he is limited to first base and DH duties at this time. However, Napoli had a very productive year in 2016. His 34 home runs and 101 RBI each set new career highs. If not for him, the Cleveland Indians probably would have never reached the World Series.
Thinking of it in a literal sense, Napoli is a great Trumbo replacement. He’d pair well with Chris Davis. The biggest issue to arise would be how much this would force Davis into playing right field. Napoli probably also won’t slug 40 home runs either, but he can at least bring in some solid postseason experience.
Napoli will likely cost the Orioles a little more than they’d be willing to pair for someone expected to sit on the bench on a somewhat regular basis. Nevertheless, they could always find a fit. Where there’s a will, there’s a way to get the best bats in the lineup.
Also worth a mention, Trumbo is the one who replaced Napoli as the first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2011.
Outfielder Michael Saunders remains a bargain target several teams should consider this offseason. His stellar 2016 campaign with the Toronto Blue Jays, particularly in the first half, should have the Orioles eying him as a Trumbo replacement possibility.
If he can hit well again in 2017, Saunders is an upgrade over Trumbo in some aspects. Mainly, he is far better on defense. While Saunders is not a first baseman, the Orioles would be better off finding someone at another position anyway. Their outfield depth remains a major weakness, after all.
The poor second half Saunders put together in 2016 is likely one reason why we see him sitting in free agency unsigned. There’s no reason to think a move to Camden Yards won’t yield similar results as hitting at Rogers Centre did. Saunders is certainly worth talking to.
Could free agent Chase Utley end up back on the East Coast? If the Baltimore Orioles want to get creative, he might.
Utley is not the perfect Trumbo replacement by any means. He won’t come close to hitting the number of home runs Trumbo did. Utley is, however, a veteran leader. He can also play second base, first base, or DH for the Orioles as needed. Paired up with Mancini as the DH, while also providing depth behind Jonathan Schoop, he’s definitely worth their consideration.
When looking for an alternative to Trumbo, the Orioles must not stick with only right-handed power hitters. They need to look into more players like Utley. Since he remains a professional hitter in a market not very interested in second baseman, the Orioles may find themselves with “The Man” on their roster at the start of 2017.