The Orioles created a spot for shortstop José Iglesias today on the 40-man roster by designating pitcher Eric Hanhold for assignment. The Iglesias deal is official. The Hanhold days might be numbered. Iglesias agreed to terms yesterday on a one-year deal that guarantees $3 million and can inflate to $6 million if the Orioles pick up his 2021 option. He receives $2.5 million this season, confirmed yesterday by an industry source, with the other $500,000 coming via a buyout. The infield is...

The Orioles today announced that they have signed INF José Iglesias to a one-year contract for the 2020 season, with a club option for 2021. Iglesias, 30, appeared in 146 games for the Cincinnati Reds last season, making 136 starts at shortstop. He hit .288/.318/.407 (145-for-504) with a career-high 11 home runs, 62 runs scored, and 59 RBI. Iglesias recorded an average of 7.57 PA/K (530 PA/70 K), the sixth-highest average in the National League. For his career, he has averaged 8.23 PA/K, the...

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms on a two-year contract with infielder Starlin Castro on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Castro, 29, joins the Nationals after setting career marks with 22 home runs and 86 RBI with the Miami Marlins in 2019. He hit .270 with 31 doubles, four triples, 28 walks, 68 runs scored, a .300 on-base percentage and a .436 slugging percentage in his 10th Major League season. A four-time...

Infielder/outfielder Cole Freeman has put together two of the most consistent seasons in his first two campaigns in the Nationals organization. Along the way, Freeman has proven his ability to excel as the level of competition intensified. In his first season out of LSU in 2018, Freeman played in 122 games with low Single-A Hagerstown, slashing .266/.354/.371 with 32 doubles, three triples, three homers, 26 stolen bases and 43 RBIs. The next season, he was even better. In 2019 at high Single-A...

The Nationals bullpen, way back on July 30, 2019, was a mess. Sean Doolittle was beginning to show signs of fatigue from his excessive (but necessary) workload through the season's first four months. Fernando Rodney was his setup man and occasional fill-in closer. Wander Suero was pitching nearly every night. The rest of the unit included Tanner Rainey, Javy Guerra, Tony Sipp, Matt Grace and Michael Blazek. So Mike Rizzo, as he has been forced to do more than once during his tenure as general...

The Orioles filled one box on their to-do list yesterday when they agreed on a contract with free agent shortstop José Iglesias. The former Red Sox, Tiger and Red got a one-year deal for $3 million with a club option for 2021 at $3 million, although the deal has not yet been officially announced by the team. The deal provides the club a plus defender at short and you have to like the terms. It's a lower-dollar deal but also provides shortstop protection for two seasons if they want to bring...

The Nationals have found themselves this year's left-handed first baseman. Eric Thames, who averaged 24 homers and an .848 OPS the last three seasons for the Brewers, has agreed to terms on a contract with the Nats that guarantees $4 million, a source familiar with the with deal confirmed. Thames, who must pass a physical before the deal is official, will earn a $3 million salary this year, with a $1 million buyout of a mutual option for 2021 likely to be enacted after the season. Thus the...

Turns out last week's signing of Will Harris didn't prohibit the Nationals from bringing back Daniel Hudson. Hudson and the Nats are finalizing a new deal that would keep the veteran reliever in D.C. for two more seasons at the fairly reasonable price of $11 million (plus incentives), a source familiar with the terms confirmed this afternoon. Once completed, Hudson would rejoin a Nationals bullpen that on paper looks much stronger now than it did for most of the 2019 season, when it ranked...

The Orioles' search for a veteran middle infielder with plus defensive skills at shortstop has led them to José Iglesias. The sides have reached agreement on a one-year deal worth a guaranteed $3 million, according to a source. The contract includes a club option for 2021 that could push the total value to $6 million. The deal comes after the Orioles expressed early interest in shortstop Adeiny Hechavarría, who remains on the market, and José Peraza, who signed with the Red Sox after...

Michael Rucker doesn't have a choice. It isn't up to him. He's going to be the other Rule 5 pick in Orioles camp. The second selection after Brandon Bailey. Always listed below him. They're going to be tied together without the rope. In conversations and stories, in roster and pitching staff projections. While speculating whether the Orioles can carry both of them. At least they won't be total strangers, with Rucker getting to know Bailey before transferring from Gonzaga to BYU and while...