The Baltimore Orioles have signed slugger Eloy Jimenez from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline. The 27-year-old could become a free agent next winter, as the Orioles have a club option.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic points out that it is unlikely that Baltimore will exercise this club option, but that at 27 years old he could still attract interest as a free agent.
“He (Jimenez) hit 31 home runs as a rookie in 2019 and hasn’t hit 20 in a season since as his career has been hampered by injuries,” Bowden wrote. “However, he’s only 27 years old and has a career OPS+ of 115, so he should draw interest as a value bat in free agency.
Jimenez’s free agency will certainly be interesting. He most likely won’t get a long-term deal, but there could be some teams willing to buy him cheap and give him a one-year deal.
Several teams will need a power hitter for the right side of the box, and while he has struggled, Jimenez still has solid potential that can be exploited in the right situation.
Jimenez has a .265 batting average with five home runs, 20 RBI, three stolen bases and a .686 OPS. As Bowden noted in The Athletic, the power numbers have dropped since Jimenez hit 31 home runs in 2019.
We will see what interest he attracts as a free agent next winter.
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