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Baltimore Orioles pitcher Darren O’Day has suffered a right hamstring injury.

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O’Day Placed on 15-Day DL

Friday, June 3

According to a report by CBS Baltimore, O’Day was placed on the 15-day disabled list in what is being described as a right hamstring strain.

MASNSports.com’s Roch Kubatko reported that O’Day will receive a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in his right leg, and manager Buck Showalter is “cautiously optimistic” that he will be back in 15 days. 

This could have been a far more serious blow for Baltimore because O’Day has developed into one of the best setup pitchers in the league. The submariner has played for the Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers and New York Mets in his career, but he’s shone over the past couple of seasons for the Orioles. 

Thus far, he is 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA and two saves this season with 25 strikeouts in 22 appearances.

O’Day agreed to new contract with the Orioles this offseason that was the richest in MLB history for a non-closing reliever at the time, per Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com. That came after O’Day made his first All-Star Game in 2015 and finished with a sparkling 1.52 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in 65.1 innings pitched.

According to ESPN.com, he posted a career-high 2.8 WAR as well, and it was the second consecutive year he tallied a sub-2.00 ERA for the Orioles (1.70 in 2014).

The Orioles still have Zach Britton at the end of the bullpen to shut the door on opponents, and they will likely turn to Brad Brach to shoulder more of the load while O’Day is out.

Still, there is a reason they committed to O’Day this offseason. If they are going to challenge the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the American League East, they need him back and healthy to anchor the bullpen alongside Britton.

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The Baltimore Orioles have reportedly re-signed relief pitcher Darren O’Day, pending a physical, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. The deal is reportedly worth $31 million over four years, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

However, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reported the deal is not done yet and noted the Orioles nearly lost him to the Washington Nationals:

O’Day also played down reports of a done deal between him and the Orioles:

O’Day, 33, was excellent for the Orioles last season, finishing 6-2 with a 1.52 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, 82 strikeouts, six saves and 18 holds in 65.1 innings pitched. Coming into the offseason, he was considered the top option among relief pitchers in free agency and was believed to be a target for teams looking for a closer.

Prior to the reports of O’Day’s re-signing, Orioles closer Zach Britton commented on O’Day’s impact on the Hot Stove Show, courtesy of Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com:

He’s been great. Darren’s helped me out a lot. He isn’t just a great teammate, he’s a great guy, and I feel like wherever he ends up, we’re going to be friends for a long time. …

I hope he comes back to us. I know he loves playing for Buck (Showalter), he loves Baltimore, he loves the teammates that we have there, and I think that’s a huge thing for him now and I think he’s weighing those options.

O’Day has proved to be an elite setup man for Baltimore in his four seasons with the club, though, going 23-8 with with a 1.92 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 283 strikeouts in 263 innings pitched. He made the All-Star team in 2015 and will solidify the team’s bullpen once again as the Orioles look to return to the postseason.

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After another excellent season for the Baltimore Orioles, Darren O’Day will be the most sought-after free-agent reliever this winter.  

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O’Day Won’t Be Cheap for Prospective Buyers

Wednesday, Nov. 18

According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, O’Day is seeking a contract for four years that will pay him between $28 million and $36 million overall. 

He’ll probably get it. O’Day, 33, finished 6-2 with a 1.52 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, 82 strikeouts, six saves and 18 holds in 65.1 innings pitched. He’s the top option in a weak free-agency pool for relievers and has been consistently excellent in his four seasons with the Orioles.

Some teams may want to convert him to a closer if they are paying him that type of money, but he’s ideally a setup man. If a team wants to lock down the eighth and the ninth innings and already has a reliable closer, O’Day could be the difference between a good bullpen and a great one.

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It’s that time of year again. With the draft firmly in the rear view mirror, the Texas Rangers now turn their attention to players that can help them win now via trades. Last year it was Cliff Lee and Bengie Molina who were acquired before the deadline and helped the Rangers reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Who will it be this year?

The general consensus is that they will look to acquire some bullpen help and have been linked to names like Heath Bell, Mike Adams and Joakim Soria. If they could acquire one of these three there is no doubt that it would greatly improve the pen—but what if they can’t?

Do they acquire another old, journeyman reliever to add to their growing stable of old, journeyman relievers?

Or what about a reliever with a good history who is just having an off year?

Or what about staying put?

Not the most popular choice, but staying put could be the best alternative to not landing the big names. Look at these credentials of players currently in the minor league system:

• Cy Young winner
• Former 17-game winner and opening day starter
• .647 winning percentage
• No. 2 prospect in Rangers system with 97 mph fastball

The Cy Young winner of course is Brandon Webb who signed with the Rangers in the offseason to help make up for the loss of Cliff Lee. He has not pitched since 2009 because of injuries and is more suited for the bullpen to help relieve stress on his arm. His velocity is down but Yoshinori Tateyama has proved you don’t need to hit 95 on the radar gun to be effective.

The 17-game winner is Scott Feldman who had microfracture surgery on his right knee after the end of the last season. He has the stuff to be a reliable bullpen guy and actually has the experience of being a closer early in his career. He is fresh off of a 5-inning, no-hit game at Triple-A Round Rock.

The .647 winning percentage is property of Tommy Hunter. The team’s No. 4 starter in the playoffs last year has been recovering from a groin strain that propelled Alexi Ogando in the starting rotation. Hunter has probably lost his starting job and is a proven arm that could be a long reliever for the stretch run.

The prospect is Tanner Scheppers. The oft-injured Scheppers has just been activated off of the DL and has the power arm that you want shutting down batters in the eighth inning. The Rangers’ organization can’t make up its mind if Scheppers will start or pitch in relief in the future, but he could be this year’s Alexi Ogando in the pen.

There’s also Darren O’Day who has been injured the majority of the season and Neil Ramirez who is pitching well at Triple-A.

If the Rangers have an opportunity to land a Bell, Soria or Adams they should jump on it. But if not, they have proven arms in their systems that can help them regain their playoff form once they become healthy.

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