Orioles Decline Jordan Lyles 2023 Option
Today, November 9, 2022, the Orioles declined Jordan Lyles 2023 $11 million dollar club option. From MLBTradeRumors:
The Orioles have declined their $11MM club option on Jordan Lyles, tweets Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He’ll instead be paid a $1MM buyout and become a free agent.
Leading the team with 179 innings, Lyles posted a 4.42 ERA with an 18.6% strikeout rate, a 6.7% walk rate and a 40.2% ground-ball rate. Lyles provided a stable presence in the rotation every fifth day, and helped provide a consistent foundation the rotation. The stability he provided helped the team bring along their untested group of rotation candidates, many of which were able to make great developments in the majors, cementing a place in next season’s rotation.
With those developments came the question of where Lyles fit in next year’s pitching. With Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish, and Tyler Wells, backed up by Austin Voth and Spenser Watkins, not to mention both Grayson Rodriguez and D.L. Hall knocking on the door, if not ready to join the team from opening day; AND, the return of a healthy John Means later in the summer, there is no shortage of rotation members to choose from. Now, between attrition, injuries, and regression, there is inherent risk in this move, unless, as has been inferred and predicted, the team makes more moves for its rotation, either adding a starter in Free Agency, by trade, or both.
There is risk in this move, in that the front office won’t be able to consummate a desirable deal, but outright declining (while still keeping in contact with a potential reunion down the line), tells me one thing, that the team is confident they will be able to make these deals. With this option being declined right in the middle of the GM meetings, suggests that Elias and his team have had productive discussions with a number of teams and agents, and feel confident they can make moves that at least replace Lyles’ spot in the rotation with a higher ceiling pitcher who can, at worst, at least provide the same stability and average number Lyles did in 2022.
While the team could have gone either way, this is probably the right decision, to try and become more aggressive. Having said that, this will only be the right decision, if, in fact, they are aggressive and are able to add two good starters to bolster this team (Burnes/Bassit anyone?)
