MLB Roundup 2/16: Small deals being signed everywhere!

Andrew Cashner signs two-year deal with the Orioles

According to Rick Kubatko of MASN, the Orioles have added to their rotation by signing Andrew Cashner to a two-year deal worth $16 million plus some incentives. On the one hand, the Orioles are desperate for some starting pitching help and Cashner is surely an upgrade over what they previously had in the back of their staff. On the other hand, Cashner is the most Orioles pitcher imaginable and it’s hard to imagine being very scared any time the Red Sox take the mound against him in 2018. It is true that Cashner posted a very solid ERA in 2017, 3.40 to be exact, but it hardly seems sustainable. His peripherals were not great as he struck out fewer than five batters per nine innings while walking 3.5. Perhaps the soft contact he induced was repeatable and he is a whole lot better than I’m giving him credit for, but I’d bet against that.

Jaime Garcia signs with the Blue Jays

The Orioles weren’t the only American League East team to add pitching on Thursday, as the Blue Jays went out and signed Jaime Garcia to a one-year, $8 million deal. The Blue Jays actually have a pretty solid rotation, though it certainly isn’t one without question marks. I’m a little higher on Toronto being able to make a playoff run if everything goes according to plan, and adding Garcia as depth doesn’t hurt matters. The 31-year-old isn’t a star by any means, but he can limit damage with groundball tendencies and has been useful for his entire career while showing flashes of more last year. Worst case, this is a deal Toronto can more easily get rid of than Baltimore’s deal with Cashner. Plus, the Blue Jays are relying on Garcia for less.