Nathan Eovaldi is the top starting pitcher on the market. The Baltimore Orioles need to add more than Kyle Gibson to their rotation. A match between the two sides would make sense.
However, there has not been anything to officially connect the Orioles and Eovaldi. But it is possible that the Orioles and Eovaldi’s camp are discussing a deal, as Rob Bradford of WEEI noted on Friday that a “mystery team in the AL East” is believed to be involved in his market.
Baltimore Orioles would be perfect fit for Nathan Eovaldi
The Orioles would make perfect sense if they are that mystery team. The front office had declared that the rebuild was over and that it was time to start adding to the roster. However, the only moves that have been made involved swapping out Jordan Lyles for Gibson, signing Adam Frazier to handle second, and acquiring James McCann in a trade.
While those may be solid moves on their own, they are not the type of acquisitions that will make a difference for a team that appeared to be on the cusp of a postseason run. Evoaldi, on the other hand, could be the type of pitcher that can be the type of improvement the Orioles need.
He had a solid season in 2022 despite battling back and shoulder woes. Eovaldi posted a respectable 3.75 ERA and a 1.235 WHiP in his 109.1 innings, striking out 103 batters with 20 walks. His 21 homers allowed are concerning, but those issues would be mitigated to a degree by the new dimensions in Camden Yards.
Eovaldi would also be a message to the team and the fans. While he may not be an ace, he is a solid piece at the top of a playoff caliber rotation. He would show the rest of the players that the organization is serious about contending in 2023 and building the roster. That message may be just as valuable as his performance.
Nathan Eovaldi reportedly has a “mystery team in the AL East” vying for his services. That team should be the Baltimore Orioles.